Tramp Art

Tramp art is a form of folk art made since the Civil War. It is usually made from chip-carved cigar boxes. Examples range from small boxes and picture frames to full-sized pieces of furniture. Tramp art was popular in the United States from the 1870s until the 1940s. The name "tramp art" was not used to refer to the work until the 1950s. Collectors in the United States started collecting it about 1970, and examples from other countries, especially Germany, were imported and sold by antiques dealers. For more information, explore our furniture identification guides

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