Elephant Bar Cart
1990s American Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Brass
20th Century American Hollywood Regency Carts and Bar Carts
Brass
Vintage 1980s American Dry Bars
Composition
Recent Sales
Late 20th Century American Hollywood Regency Carts and Bar Carts
Glass, Wood
20th Century American Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Brass
Late 20th Century North American Art Deco Carts and Bar Carts
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars
Brass
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Carts and Bar Carts
Fruitwood, Oak, Wood
People Also Browsed
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Wall Lights and Sconces
Metal
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars
Chrome
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XV Musical Instruments
Maple
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Sectional Sofas
Upholstery, Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Industrial Wall Lights and Sconces
Iron
Vintage 1970s Mid-Century Modern Decorative Art
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Sideboards
Stone
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Mantel Mirrors and Fireplace Mir...
Mirror, Mahogany, Satinwood
Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Tables
Nickel
2010s Philippine Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Shell
Antique 19th Century English Busts
Stone
Vintage 1970s Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique Late 19th Century French Fireplace Tools and Chimney Pots
Bronze
Early 20th Century Desk Sets
Gold
Antique 19th Century Italian Romantic Settees
Silver Leaf
Finding the Right Bar-carts for You
Forever a sleek and elegant furnishing that evokes luxury and sophistication, a vintage bar cart will prove both functional and fabulous in your living room.
Bar carts as we know them were originally conceived as tea trolleys — a modest-sized table on wheels, sometimes featuring both an upper and lower shelf — to help facilitate tea service during the Victorian era in England. Modern bar carts weren’t really a common fixture in American interiors until after the end of Prohibition in the 1930s, when they were rolled onto the sets of Hollywood films. There, they suggested wealth and status in the dining rooms of affluent characters.
As tough as the 1930s had been on the average working American, the postwar era yielded economic stability and growth in homeownership. Increasingly, bar carts designed by the likes of Edward Wormley and other furniture makers became an integral part of sunken living rooms across the United States in the 1950s.
Bar carts were a must-have addition to the sensuous and sleek low-profile furnishings that we now call mid-century modern, each outfitted with the finest spirits and savory snacks that people had to offer. And partially owing to critical darlings like Mad Men, vintage cocktail carts have since seen a resurgence and have even become a selling point in restaurants.
Bar carts not only boast tremendous utilitarian value but also introduce a fun, nostalgic dynamic to the layout of your space, be it in the bar area or elsewhere. In addition to showcasing your favorite bottles of rye and local small-batch gin — or juices and mocktail ingredients — there is an undeniable allure to stacking statement glassware, vintage martini cocktail shakers and Art Deco decanter sets atop your fully stocked mid-century modern bar cart. And one size or style doesn’t fit all — an evolution of cocktail cart design throughout history has yielded all manner of metal bar carts, rattan carts and more.
We invite you to add a few more dashes of class to cocktail hour — peruse the vast collection of antique and vintage carts and bar carts on 1stDibs today.