Master Craft Bar Cart

Compared to that other furniture-makers in historically minded Grand Rapids, Michigan, the work of Mastercraft seems positively flamboyant. The company was founded in 1947 by brothers Charles and William Doezema, who hailed from a long line of cabinetmakers. They went overseas during their service in World War II, and returned home with a plan to make furniture with cosmopolitan flair. Their firm specialized in chairs and case pieces that have modernized traditional forms, finished in exotic wood veneers such as amboyna, yew, burl and fruitwood, and trimmed in brass. Bureaus and credenzas often feature cabinet fronts with decorative brass details such as silhouettes of flowers and birds, or figures that resemble Chinese characters.

In later years, Mastercraft created chairs and glass-topped coffee tables with brass frames. Some pieces included touches like the Greek key — a motif that appears in the decorative arts of both Asian and European antiquity. After Mastercraft was acquired by industry giant Baker Furniture in 1974, the company produced a large group of case pieces featuring applied brass plaques, acid-etched with semi-abstract forms by the German-born, Vancouver-based artist Bernhard Rohne.

The latter are some of the most popular Mastercraft pieces, and like all the company’s wares range in price from about $2,000 to $12,000 depending on size, condition and the amount of decorative trim. As you will see on 1stDibs, Mastercraft furnishings made a bold but artful statement — perfect for lending a bit of dash and brawn to a contemporary decor.

Whether burnished or lacquered, antique, new and vintage brass furniture can elevate a room.

From traditional spaces that use brass as an accent — by way of brass dining chairs or brass pendant lights — to contemporary rooms that embrace bold brass decor, there are many ways to incorporate the golden-hued metal.

“I find mixed metals to be a very updated approach, as opposed to the old days, when it was all shiny brass of dulled-out silver tones,” says interior designer Drew McGukin. “I especially love working with brass and blackened steel for added warmth and tonality. To me, aged brass is complementary across many design styles and can trend contemporary or traditional when pushed either way.”

He proves his point in a San Francisco entryway, where a Lindsey Adelman light fixture hangs above a limited-edition table and stools by Kelly Wearstler — also an enthusiast of juxtapositions — all providing bronze accents. The walls were hand-painted by artist Caroline Lizarraga and the ombré stair runner is by DMc.

West Coast designer Catherine Kwong chose a sleek brass and lacquered-parchment credenza by Scala Luxury to fit this San Francisco apartment. “The design of this sideboard is reminiscent of work by French modernist Jean Prouvé. The brass font imbues the space with warmth and the round ‘portholes’ provide an arresting geometric element.”

Find antique, new and vintage brass tables, case pieces and other furnishings now on 1stDibs.

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.