Scandinavian Bar Carts
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Serving Tables
Oak, Teak
Vintage 1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Steel
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Metal, Chrome
Vintage 1960s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Teak
Vintage 1980s Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Plastic, Laminate, Beech
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Brass
Vintage 1960s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Ceramic, Rattan, Birch
Vintage 1970s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Pine
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Mahogany
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Stoneware, Oak
Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Brass
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Metal
Vintage 1970s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Pine
Late 20th Century Unknown Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Brass
Late 20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Teak
Vintage 1960s German Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Metal
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Brass
Vintage 1960s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Rattan, Birch
Antique 1850s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Brass
Vintage 1970s Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Metal, Steel, Chrome
Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Teak
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Oak, Teak
Vintage 1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Metal
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Pine
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Mahogany
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Teak
Vintage 1970s Thai Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Iron
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Teak
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Oak
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Rosewood
Late 20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Birch
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Brass
Vintage 1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Teak
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Brass
Vintage 1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Teak
Vintage 1970s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Wood, Pine
Vintage 1970s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Formica
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Aluminum
Mid-20th Century Norwegian Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Birch
Vintage 1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Hardwood, Plywood
Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Metal, Brass
Vintage 1960s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Rubber, Birch
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Teak
Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Formica, Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Finnish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar ...
Birch
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Brass
20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Cane, Bamboo
Vintage 1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Pine
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Teak
Vintage 1960s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Formica, Oak
Vintage 1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Birch, Paint
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Scandinavian Bar Carts For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Scandinavian Bar Carts?
A Close Look at Scandinavian Modern Furniture
Scandinavian modernism is perhaps the warmest and most organic iteration of modernist design. The work of the designers associated with vintage Scandinavian modern furniture was founded on centuries-old beliefs in both quality craftsmanship and the ideal that beauty should enhance even the humblest accessories of daily life.
ORIGINS OF SCANDINAVIAN MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
- Emerged in the 1930s
- Scandinavian design and Nordic design originated primarily in Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Norway
- Introduced in the United States in mid-20th century
- Informed by the Bauhaus; influenced American mid-century modernism
CHARACTERISTICS OF SCANDINAVIAN MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
- Bold, clean lines and simple, sturdy symmetries
- Use of natural materials — native woods such as pine, ash and beech
- Open, airy spaces
- Promotion of functionality
- Emphasis on craftsmanship; rooted in cabinetry profession and traditional construction techniques
- Minimal ornamentation (little to no embellishment)
- A neutral or light color palette owing to prominence of light woods
SCANDINAVIAN MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
- Alvar Aalto
- Hans Wegner
- Kaare Klint
- Arne Jacobsen
- Greta Magnusson Grossman
- Finn Juhl
- Arne Vodder
- Verner Panton
ICONIC SCANDINAVIAN MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS
VINTAGE SCANDINAVIAN MODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
The gentle, organic contours that are typical of Scandinavian design appear in the furnishings and decor created by Danish, Finnish and Swedish designers not as a stylistic gesture, but rather as a practical, ergonomic — and, as importantly, elegant — response to the human form.
Each nation produced exceptional talents in all areas of the applied arts, yet each had its forté. Sweden was home to Greta Magnusson Grossman and Bruno Mathsson — creators of the classic Grasshopper lighting series and Berlin daybed, respectively — but the country excelled most notably at ceramics. In the 1920s at the great Gustavsberg porcelain manufactory, Wilhelm Kåge introduced pieces in the Scandinavian style based on influences from folklore to Cubism; his skills were passed on to his versatile and inspired pupils Berndt Friberg and Stig Lindberg.
Likewise, Finland produced a truly ingenious Scandinavian modern furniture designer in the architect Alvar Aalto, a master at melding function and artistic form in works like the Paimio chair, created in collaboration with his first wife, Aino. Yet Finnish glassware was pre-eminent, crafted in expressive, sculptural designs by Tapio Wirkkala and Timo Sarpaneva.
The Danes excelled at chairs. Hans Wegner and Arne Jacobsen were exemplars of the country’s facility with wood, particularly teak.
Wegner created such iconic pieces as the Round chair and the Wishbone chair; Jacobsen — while the revolutionary architect and furniture innovator produced the best-selling plywood Ant chair — designed two classic upholstered pieces of the 1950s: the Swan chair and Egg chair. The list of great Danes could go on and on, including Finn Juhl, a stylistic maverick and maker of the bold Chieftain chair; Poul Kjaerholm, with his lean metal-and-rattan aesthetic; and Verner Panton, who introduced a vibrant Pop note into international design.
Today, decades after their heyday, the prolific, ever-evolving Scandinavian modernists continue to amaze and delight, and interior designers all over the world use their pieces to bring warmth to any given space.
On 1stDibs, you will note both instantly recognizable vintage Scandinavian modern chairs, sofas, rugs and tables — those that have earned iconic status over time — and many new discoveries.
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.
- How do you stock a bar cart?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019
A bar cart should be stocked with a jigger, shaker, strainer, bottle opener, corkscrew, ice bucket, tongs and various alcoholic beverages.