House of Folk Art

Matt Ledbetter
  • 4.3 (6)
  • VISUAL ARTS

Join Matt Ledbetter, esteemed auctioneer and folk art connoisseur hailing from Gibsonville, North Carolina, as he unveils the rich tapestry of Southern Folk Art. With personal ties to numerous folk artists through his renowned quarterly auctions, Matt brings you on a journey through the intricate history, the profound motivations, and the intimate encounters that shape the world of folk art.

  1. JAN 5

    Episode 47 | Always Buying Always Selling: Life as a Full-Time Antique Dealer with Laura Saville

    In this episode of House of Folk Art, Matt Ledbetter sits down with longtime friend and full-time antique dealer Laura Saville for a wide-ranging, honest conversation about what it really means to make a living in antiques. Laura has spends all her time buying, selling, filling booths, working shows, and constantly moving inventory. Inspired by early memories of her grandfather’s Milwaukee saloon to a career at Nordstrom that sharpened her eye for curation and merchandising, Laura explains how every chapter of her life quietly prepared her for this work. Together, Matt and Laura talk about the rhythm of the antiques business, the reality of selling full time, how dealers decide what to hold and what to let go, and why shows like Liberty feel so special. They also reflect on how the trade is changing, why younger dealers are entering the field, and why it is never too late to start if you truly love it. This episode is part storytelling, part shop talk, and part encouragement for anyone curious about life as a full-time antique dealer. Chapters00:00 | Introducing Laura Saville 02:20 | Knowing Each Other Through Shows and the Trade05:50 | Always Buying Always Selling09:40 | Filling Booths and Keeping Inventory Moving13:25 | No Antiques Growing Up, Except Grandpa17:45 | Grandpa's Milwaukee Saloon and the Worner Bottle 22:10 | From Nordstrom to Full-Time Antique Dealer26:30 | Curating, Presentation, and Retail Instincts31:10 | What to Sell, What to Hold Back35:40 | Liberty, Shows, and the Energy of the Field40:05 | Is Being an Antique Dealer Still a Job44:30 | Younger Dealers and Finding Your Way In49:20 | It’s Never Too Late to Go Full Time53:30 | Closing Thoughts on Loving the Work Where to Find Laura SavilleLaura Saville is based in North Carolina. You can find her regular booth at The Antique Marketplace, located at 6428 Burnt Poplar Rd, Greensboro, NC 27409. Laura’s booth is the first booth to the left behind the counter. More information: https://antiquemarketplacegso.com Laura also regularly sets up at regional antiques shows, including: The Tarheel Antiques FestivalApril 10–11, 2026226 North Lloyd’s Dairy Rd, Efland, NC 27243https://www.tarheelantiquesfestival.com Liberty Antique FestivalApril 24–25, 2026 (final Liberty show)2855 Pike Farm Rd, Staley, NC 27355Laura’s booth: M5https://www.libertyantiquesfestival.com Fishersville Antiques ExpoMay 8–9, 2026227 Expo Rd, Fishersville, VA 22939Inside the first buildinghttps://www.heritagepromotions.net Do you know a folk artist or have a picking story worth sharing? Reach out to the show: houseoffolkart@gmail.com(919) 410 8002 Leave your name and where you are from and you might hear yourself on a future episode. Follow @houseoffolkart for more stories, adventures, and upcoming auction dates at LedbetterAuctions.com.

    1h 17m

  2. 12/22/2025

    Episode 46 | Unboxing Folk Art Pottery and Remembering Folk Artists

    Mike Smith joins Matt in the gallery with several pieces of folk art pottery headed for the next auction, opening boxes and walking through each form as it comes out. What starts as a straightforward unboxing quickly turns into a deeper conversation about where these pieces came from, who made them, and how easily important work can be overlooked when context is lost. Throughout the episode, Matt and Mike break down what they look for when evaluating folk art pottery, from glaze and form to surface wear and feel in the hand. They talk honestly about how certain pieces struggled to sell years ago, how markets shift, and how experience changes the way collectors see quality over time. Matt shares stories from his early auction days, when significant work passed quietly through sales without much attention. The conversation expands beyond pottery as Mike brings out his photographs and shows off his work in a historic copy of Souls Grown Deep, reflecting on the role photography has played in documenting folk artists and preserving their stories. He shares personal photographs of artists he spent time with, offering a rare look at the people behind the work and the importance of remembering artists as individuals, not just names attached to objects. The episode builds toward several key moments, including evaluating pottery specifically for auction versus personal collecting, discussing insurance and auction value, and deciding when a piece is too strong to hold back. Matt and Mike also talk through provenance, how artists like Willie Massey and others fit into the larger folk art story, and why some of the most meaningful material never comes with labels or paperwork. This episode offers a thoughtful look at folk art pottery, photography, and memory, showing how objects, books, and images work together to keep artists from being forgotten long after their work leaves their hands. Chapters 00:00 | Introducing Mike Smith and Unboxing Folk Art Pottery02:15 | First Impressions, Form, and Glaze05:40 | Pottery Headed to the Next Auction09:10 | When Good Pieces Struggled to Sell12:30 | How Experience Changes the Way You See Folk Art16:05 | Talking Provenance and Early Auction Stories19:20 | Folk Art Pottery Versus Personal Collecting22:10 | Opening Souls Grown Deep and the Importance of Documentation25:45 | Remembering Folk Artists Through Photography29:30 | Personal Photos of Folk Artists and Time Spent Together33:10 | When a Piece Belongs at Auction36:40 | Evaluating Value and Market Reality40:15 | Willie Massey and Upper Tier Folk Art44:10 | What Gets Lost When Artists Are Forgotten47:30 | Closing Thoughts on Pottery, Memory, and Folk Art When the last piece is set back on the table, the conversation lingers on the idea that folk art is more than objects moving through auctions. Pottery, photographs, and books all play a role in keeping artists present, even when their voices are gone. This episode is a reminder that remembering the people behind the work is just as important as preserving the work itself. Do you know a folk artist or have a picking story worth sharinghouseoffolkart@gmail.com(919) 410 8002 Leave your name and where you are from and you might hear yourself on a future episode. Follow @houseoffolkart for more stories, field trips, and upcoming auction dates at LedbetterAuctions.com.

    1h 4m

  3. 12/08/2025

    Episode 45 | Raising Canes the Folk Art Way

    Matt has been raised on canes since he was ten years old, and now he is passing the tradition down by raising his own kids on folk art canes too. From snake wrapped handles to fully carved masterpieces, he walks through some of the best walking sticks in the collection and ends by seeing if Kai can spot the most valuable cane in the room. Throughout the episode he breaks down the difference between a simple carved handle and a true tip to top cane, why certain carvings reveal themselves only under good light, and how collectors can easily overlook the best details when a cane is sitting across a room. Matt gives a full tutorial on what makes a cane great, what makes one just decent, and why a few of these pieces are among the best in the entire folk art world. The episode builds toward two key moments for anyone interested in folk art canes and walking stick collecting. Matt first reveals a top tier 1904 carved cane, a true tip to top masterpiece that he considers one of the best examples of American folk art carving he has ever handled. He then moves into an Antiques Roadshow style appraisal session where he breaks down insurance values, auction estimates, and his own real world offers on several antique canes. Along the way he explains how to identify Mexican folk art canes by the eagle, snake, and cactus motif, how to recognize the hand of a single carver across multiple sticks, and how collectors can display and decorate with canes in their own homes. This episode offers one of Matt’s most in depth looks at folk art canes and why he has collected them for so long. Raising canes takes on an entirely new meaning in this one. Chapters00:00 | Introducing the Cane Collection and Matt’s Early Start in Folk Art01:20 | The Red Painted Hand Cane and the Skeleton Bone Cane04:21 | Hidden Details on the Cat and Snake Cane05:57 | The Florida Alligator Cane08:34 | The Natural Root Cane with Folded Hands10:13 | A Rare Cabinet Card Featuring a Basket and Walking Stick11:58 | Comparing a Mid Level Cane to a Tremendous Cane16:26 | Introducing the 1904 Cane and Why It Stands Out22:04 | What the Carver Might Say if Canes Could Speak23:45 | Insurance Values, Auction Estimates, and High End Cane Collecting27:57 | How to Identify Mexican Folk Art Canes32:00 | Discovering a Carver Through Matching Umbrella Canes36:39 | The Contemporary Lee Reese Cane from Salem South Carolina40:46 | How a Cane Grows42:52 | Decorating with Folk Art Canes at Home44:03 | Asking a Young Collector to Choose the Most Valuable Cane When the last cane goes back on the table, Matt is reminded how much history can live inside a simple piece of wood. The anonymous carvers of the early 1900s, the regional styles, and the newer makers like Lee Reese all show how folk art canes evolve while still holding on to their roots. Do you know a folk artist or have a picking story worth sharinghouseoffolkart@gmail.com(919) 410 8002Leave your name and where you are from and you might hear yourself on the next episode.Follow @houseoffolkart for more stories, adventures, and upcoming auction dates at LedbetterAuctions.com.

    45 min

  4. 11/24/2025

    Episode 44 | Secrets from Alamance County and the Pick of a Lifetime

    Matt sits down with his dad, the infamous Wade Ledbetter, inside the auction gallery for a story Wade admits might be risky to even share. What starts as a quiet memory from rural Alamance County quickly turns into a mystery about a ten foot clock, a fifty thousand dollar offer from Henry Ford’s museum team, and a farmhouse fire that erased everything. Wade takes Matt back to the days when he delivered milk to the Krauss family and explains why the story of that clock stayed with him for more than fifty years. That secret leads Matt to share a story of his own. At twenty five, he walked into a house in Virginia that changed everything for him as a picker. A house filled with museum tagged antiques, rare crystal, first edition books, and paintings he was not yet experienced enough to understand. It was the pick of a lifetime, the kind that teaches you more in a day than years of picking can. Two stories from two Ledbetters. One about a clock that vanished. One about a house that should never have been lost. 00:00 | Wade Introduces the Krauss Family and the Mysterious Clock06:40 | Henry Ford’s Buyers and the Fifty Thousand Dollar Offer13:50 | The House Fire, the Surviving Clock Weight, and Wade’s Milk Route18:50 | Why Wade Believes the Clock Story Still Matters25:30 | Wade’s Attic Finds and Early Picking Lessons29:01 | Wade’s Unexpected Friendship with Mickey Mantle38:28 | Matt Heads North and Walks Into a Once in a Lifetime House45:20 | The Crystal, Paintings, and Museum Tagged Pieces Inside Phil’s Home52:00 | Matt’s Big Scores and the Things He Missed58:20 | Phil Passes Away and the House Is Emptied01:00:40 | Closing Thoughts with Matt and Wade As the conversation winds down, Matt and Wade reflect on the stories that shape a picker’s life. From a vanished Alamance County clock to the house that launched Matt’s career, these moments remind us that the best finds are often the ones you cannot plan for. Every attic, every basement, and every back road has a secret waiting on the other side of the door. Do you know a folk artist or have a picking story worth sharinghouseoffolkart@gmail.com(919) 410 8002Leave your name and where you are from and you might hear yourself on the next episode. Follow @houseoffolkart for more stories, field trips, and upcoming auction dates at LedbetterAuctions.com

    1h 1m

  5. 11/10/2025

    Episode 43 | Liberty Antiques Recap: Pottery, Paintings, and a Benny Carter Birdhouse

    Matt and Kyle sit down after two full days of picking at the Liberty Antiques Festival in Liberty, North Carolina. Surrounded by their finds, they go through the haul piece by piece, from rare signed North Carolina pottery and 19th-century paintings to a pristine Benny Carter saw. The conversation dives into the stories behind the buys, the lessons learned from years on the road, and the excitement that comes with finding something special in a sea of booths. From showcase surprises to pottery discoveries, this episode captures the rhythm and reward of a good show weekend. Chapters00:00 | Let’s get ready to go through the Liberty haul04:54 | Matt reflects on first trips to Liberty and twenty years of picking07:17 | The showcase buy and how to think through bulk deals09:10 | Pottery finds at Liberty14:41 | The mini painted basket16:37 | 19th-century gilt frame paintings19:37 | The $90 oval portrait29:48 | Benny Carter painted saw and birdhouse34:35 | Back to the showcase treasures and collecting small finds48:28 | Reflections on Liberty and looking ahead50:47 | Send in your folky stories As the conversation wraps, Matt and Kyle look ahead to the next round of shows and auctions, reflecting on what makes Liberty so unique. From pottery and paintings to showcase treasures, the episode reminds us that every object has a story and every picker has a tale worth telling. Watch the Dealer Setup Day vlog titled “Day 1 at Liberty Antique Festival | Quilts, Baskets, and a Ghost Table” now on the House of Folk Art channel.  The second Liberty vlog will be released next Monday and will feature many of the items discussed in this episode. Do you know a folk artist? Send in your folky stories:📧 houseoffolkart@gmail.com📞 (919) 410-8002 Leave your name and where you’re from, and you might get a shoutout on the next podcast. Follow @houseoffolkart for more behind-the-scenes stories and upcoming auction dates at LedbetterAuctions.com.

    52 min

  6. 10/27/2025

    Episode 42 | From the Brewery to the Gallery: Inside Red Oak’s Griffith Museum

    Matt and Sully sit down inside the Griffith Fine Art Museum at Red Oak Brewery to explore where fine art and folk art meet. Surrounded by a collection of American Impressionist paintings from the late 1800s, they talk about the crossover between high-end galleries and the handmade traditions that define Southern craftsmanship. What starts as a laid-back conversation over a Hummingbird Golden Lager quickly turns into a mix of history, humor, and collecting philosophy. Matt shares stories about his early days picking with his father, his time at auctioneering school, and how the lessons of the field still guide his work today. Sully brings up Liberty Antiques Festival, walking stick rivalries, and the fine line between a good buy and a mistake that costs you $900. From pottery and furniture to NFTs, the conversation reminds us that every object has a story, whether it’s hanging in a museum or hidden in a barn. Chapters:00:00 | Welcome to Red Oak Brewery06:48 | Has Sully Been Practicing His Bid Calling? Matt Reflects on Auction School and Early Success09:17 | Who’s Coming to Liberty Tomorrow?16:15 | Crypto Tales, NFTs, and Auction Adventures20:50 | Big Buys and the Art of the Auction30:51 | Matt Recalls One of the Best Tables He Ever Picked40:08 | Game Day Predictions for Liberty51:03 | One of the Last Liberty Antiques Festivals59:56 | Our First Calls to the Folk Art Hotline As the conversation wraps, Matt and Sully raise a final glass to Red Oak for having us into their gallery and to everyone keeping art alive. Whether it’s a face jug, a walking stick, or a miniature chair, every handmade object carries a story worth telling. Do you know a folk artist? Send in your folky stories:📧 houseoffolkart@gmail.com📞 (919) 410-8002Leave your name and where you’re from, and you might just get a shoutout on the next podcast. Follow @houseoffolkart for more behind-the-scenes stories and upcoming auction dates at LedbetterAuctions.com.

    1h 4m

  7. 10/13/2025

    Episode 41 | Inside the Folk Art Underground: Mike Smith on Folk Art Legends and Lost Stories

    Matt and Mike Smith sit down inside the Griffith Fine Art Museum at Red Oak Brewery to talk about the wild early days of Southern folk art and the collectors who helped define it. What begins as a casual visit quickly turns into a deep dive into Mike’s decades-long journey from salesman to documentarian, capturing the rise of self-taught art across the Southeast. Mike shares how he met artists like Benny Carter, James Harold Jennings, and Howard Finster, and what it was like to ride with Carter through the backroads of North Carolina with a revolver on the dash and a cooler full of copperheads in the back. He recalls photographing artists in their homes, quitting his day job after a single conversation with Finster, and how those early trips shaped the entire field of outsider art. Matt and Mike talk about the collectors who kept the movement alive and the growing problem of fake pieces appearing in auctions. They compare real works to counterfeits, share tips on spotting authenticity, and reflect on how folk art has changed as the next generation starts to collect. Sully joins at the end to ask a few behind-the-scenes questions about Mike’s photography and how he built trust with artists before taking a single shot. Chapters:00:00 | Welcome to the Griffith Fine Art Museum at Red Oak05:26 | Giving Mike His Flowers09:09 | Benny and Mike Take New York15:07 | Meeting James Harold Jennings20:19 | Fearrington Folk Art Show Preview25:49 | The Discovery of Tom Fiddler30:20 | Why Folk Artists Create35:40 | So Bad It’s Good40:41 | The Fake Art Problem50:45 | Spotting Benny Carter Fakes55:01 | Time for a Red Oak59:50 | The Best Time to Buy Art1:04:46 | Sully’s Closing Questions As the conversation winds down, Matt and Mike look back on the people who made this community what it is today. The stories of Benny Carter, Mose Tolliver, and Howard Finster remind them that folk art has always been about more than sales or recognition. It’s about the spark that makes someone pick up a brush, carve a block of wood, or turn everyday life into something worth remembering. The next great folk artist is probably out there right now, carving, painting, or welding in quiet determination, waiting for someone like Mike Smith to stop by with a camera and a story to tell. Follow @houseoffolkart for more behind-the-scenes stories and upcoming auction dates at LedbetterAuctions.com.

    1h 10m

  8. 09/29/2025

    Episode 40 | Kentucky Legend Carl McKenzie & The Gibsonville Hwy 64 Chair Maker Revealed

    Matt and Kyle take a deep dive into Kentucky folk artist Carl McKenzie (1905-1998), examining his colorful cut-wood sculptures that inspired a generation of collectors. From the Daniel Boone Trading Post to Larry Hackley's legendary collection, they explore how McKenzie's simple two-by-four constructions with movable arms captured the essence of Kentucky mountain life.The episode takes a personal turn when Matt reveals his secret identity as the "Gibsonville Highway 61 Miniature Chair Maker," showcasing 24 Willie Massey-inspired chairs he created over three months before mysteriously losing the creative drive. The conversation explores the psychological challenges of folk art creation, from Charles Archer's inability to carve stone anymore to Matt's fear of trying to recreate his own work.They compare McKenzie's $150-300 pieces to Edgar Tolson's $17,000 carvings, discuss the difference between cut wood and carved wood, and examine why collectors need multiple pieces to build a case for an artist's legitimacy. Plus: Benny Carter banjo poetry about the House of Blues, football hit sticks as contemporary folk art, and a heated basket controversy that's got one collector sending angry midnight texts.What you'll learn: Carl McKenzie's evolution from retirement to prolific Kentucky folk artistWhy cut-wood sculptures require different appreciation than carved piecesThe psychological "bite" that drives folk artists and when it disappearsHow to distinguish 1940s paint from contemporary workThe House of Blues connection to folk art and Dan Aykroyd's visionWhy Edgar Tolson commands $17,000+ while McKenzie stays under $500 Follow @houseoffolkart and call the new folk art hotline if you have Carl McKenzie stories to share.Chapters:00:00 | Carl McKenzie introduction and House of Folk Art t-shirts02:25 | Kentucky Folk Art – Carl McKenzie's colorful cut-wood sculptures04:39 | Cut vs Carved – understanding the difference in folk art construction07:15 | Larry Hackley's Collection – seeing 80 McKenzie pieces together09:24 | Artist Inspiration Sources – imagining McKenzie's creative process14:22 | Discovery Stories – 1970s art dealers finding porch carvers16:18 | Collection Building – why you need multiple pieces for legitimacy19:01 | Edgar Tolson Comparison – $17,000 museum-quality vs $300 attainable25:17 | The Creative Bite – how folk art inspiration strikes and disappears31:09 | Living Artists Today – shake the right tree and find 20 artists34:12 | Fearrington Folk Art Show– the next generation of self-taught artists37:56 | Willie Massey Influence – miniature chairs and thick paint globs41:51 | The Gibsonville Chair Maker Revealed – Matt's secret folk art identity46:35 | Creative Struggles – why Matt stopped making chairs for 3 years53:28 | Anonymous $30,000 Cane – high-relief carving and folk art pricing56:58 | Football Hit Sticks – contemporary folk art meets youth sports1:00:06 | Benny Carter Banjo Poetry – House of Blues tributes and misspellings1:06:42 | House of Blues Tour – Dan Aykroyd's folk art restaurant empire1:08:20 | Struggling Artist Reality – Benny's "last beer" dealer meeting The next Carl McKenzie is out there right now, selling $15 pieces and waiting to be discovered.

    1h 10m
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Ratings & Reviews

4.3
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Join Matt Ledbetter, esteemed auctioneer and folk art connoisseur hailing from Gibsonville, North Carolina, as he unveils the rich tapestry of Southern Folk Art. With personal ties to numerous folk artists through his renowned quarterly auctions, Matt brings you on a journey through the intricate history, the profound motivations, and the intimate encounters that shape the world of folk art.

Information

  • Creator
    Matt Ledbetter
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    47
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2024 The House of Folk Art
  • Show Website
    House of Folk Art

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