Amazing tramp art style tray/bowl Good condition with normal wear from age and use Great conversation piece Tramp art was an ingenious way for folks to make money or create art by upcycling seemingly unusable items,” antiques collector Jennifer L. Prince, owner of It’s Found Vintage in Lynchburg, Virginia, says. “In an effort to not let anything go to waste, people got creative and turned matches, shipping crates, and cigar boxes into folksy, useful pieces of art.” Using little more than a penknife, tramp art makers cut soft, thin pieces of wood, then glued and layered them in intricate patterns and motifs that zig and zag across small items like boxes and picture frames, though you’ll also find the style’s defining features on larger items like dressers and mirrors. Because of their humble origins and the sheer number of people creating them, many of these decor pieces can’t be attributed. However, some artists have become known for their hallmarks, like John Martin Zubersky, who is famous for his works’ sunflower corners, or John Frank Zadzora’s heart-embellished wall pockets.