Pioneers of furniture designed especially for the outdoors, Brown Jordan channeled — in tables, lounge chairs and armchairs — the carefree postwar California spirit and helped create a new space in American life: the patio.
The outdoor furniture brand began to take shape in 1945, when Robert Brown, an industrial designer, and Hubert Jordan met in Pasadena, California, and began collaborating on their first design, a traditional wrought-iron breakfast set they called Morning Glory. They offered it for sale via the upscale department store Bullock’s Wilshire. The store ran an ad about the new outdoor set, and, by the end of the day, it had sold out completely.
A few years later, in 1948, the duo followed up with a new, very different design: the Leisure collection, one of the first to combine aluminum with vinyl “lace.” The materials were newly available after the war and offered a mid-century silhouette that was also lightweight and specifically designed for outdoor use. Some of Brown Jordan’s most singular pieces arose from another postwar material: Copper piping salvaged from ships that had sunk at Pearl Harbor was used to create sculptural, curvilinear outdoor furnishings as part of the Walter Lamb Bronze collection, which was first launched in the 1940s.
The Tamiami collection, by Brown Jordan in-house designer Hall Bradley, followed in the 1950s, with streamlined aluminum frames and vinyl seats and backs woven in a diagonal pattern. The line quickly became popular not only in California but across the country and on the East Coast, prompting an expansion from the original two colorways to a wider assortment of of-the-moment hues.
Brown Jordan’s offerings gained recognition as both innovations and symbols of a new kind of leisure. Tadao Inouye’s Kantan lounge chair, launched in 1956, was chosen by the Department of Commerce to be exhibited at the 1959 Industrial World’s Fair in Tokyo. In 1968, it was featured in the Cooper Hewitt’s “Please Be Seated” exhibit.
Bright colorways, metallics, pastels, powder coating and weather-ready materials became some of Brown Jordan’s hallmarks, heralding durable, design-forward furniture that helped create the modern idea of outdoor living.
Find a collection of vintage Brown Jordan furniture today on 1stDibs.
Brown Jordan Outdoor Indoor Bar Serving Cart by Richard Frinier
By Richard Frinier, Brown Jordan
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous design for an outdoor bar serving cart. Enamel coated with two textured glass shelves both are 30 x 18 inches. Large wheels with tread. In excellent vintage condition with m...
Metal, Enamel
Vintage Blue Serving Cart by Richard Schultz
By Richard Schultz
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage outdoor serving cart in rich blue enamel tiers in a white metal frame. Designed by Richard Schultz in 1966 for Knoll. Richard Schultz crea...
Metal, Enamel
Carl Auböck Bar Cart Drinks Trolley Serving Cart, Austria, 1960s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A wonderful example of Minimalist Modernist design, this two-tier bar cart or drinks serving trolley dates back to the 1960s/1970s. Crafted by the workshop Werkstätte Carl Auböck in ...
Iron
$1,520Sale Price|56% Off
H 30 in W 34 in D 18.5 in
Mid-Century Italian Tubular Brass Bar Serving Cart by Morex
By Morex
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Exceptional three-tier rolling bar service cart by Italian maker Morex. Smoke glass shelving contrast on sculpted brass tube frame make this a st...
Brass
Bar / Serving Cart in Brass and Glass, 1970s
Located in Kansas City, MO
Portable bar / serving cart in brass with two glass shelves and large wheels in very good to excellent condition. Smaller scale. Functions perfectly.
Brass
$2,950
H 32 in W 31.38 in D 16.75 in
1950 Mediterrane Antique White Metal Indoor Outdoor Dry Bar Kitchen Cart France
Located in Miami, FL
1950s Mid-Century Modern Paris Style 2 Tier Outdoor Dry Bar Cart, Kitchen Cart, Marketplace Flower cart in white Finish. Handcrafted Metal slabs with...
Metal
$1,143Sale Price|25% Off
H 30 in W 39 in D 16 in
Vintage 1970s Lucite & Glass Rolling Bar Serving Cart
Located in Lake Worth, FL
For FULL item description click on CONTINUE READING at the bottom of this page. Offering one of our recent Palm Beach Estate fine furniture acquisitions of a Vintage 1970s Thick Luc...
Glass, Lucite
Hollywood Regency Faux Bamboo Brass Bar Serving Cart
By Maison Jansen, William Billy Haines
Located in New York, NY
Voguish faux bamboo, Hollywood Regency serving, bar cart, in excellent original, clean and ready to use condition, showing only light cosmetic wear, normal and consistent with age. T...
Glass
Art Deco Hungarian Bar Cart/ Serving Table
Located in Houston, TX
The Bar cart has 2 levels, and 2 shelves, made out of ebonized glass. They are connected by chrome tubes. Each shelf has an extended border regulator, to prevent items from falling o...
Chrome
Whimsical Horse Rolling Serving Bar Cart by Frederick Weinberg
By Frederic Weinberg
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Whimsical Horse Rolling Serving Bar Cart by Frederick Weinberg. Complete and all original with the two removable bottle racks and painted black texture...
Iron
Rare Arthur Umanoff Bar Serving Cart, 1970s
By Arthur Umanoff
Located in Los Angeles, CA
STUNNING ARTHUR UMANOFF BAR CART, 1970 Painted steel, oak, wheels. Produced by David Morgan, USA A fantastically functional California Modern design piece that exemplifies Umanoff’s singular architectural aesthetic. Has a drawer, two trays and six bottle cubbies accessible from either side. Constructed of oak with an enameled steel frame, chrome handle, swiveling caster and bicycle wheels with solid rubber tires. 40" H x 39" W x 20" D. Condition Overall very good condition. Occasional minor surface wear. We currently have this bar cart paired with a a Lou Hodges desk...
Iron, Steel
American of Martinsville Mid-Century Modern Bar Cart or Serving Cart
By American of Martinsville
Located in Las Vegas, NV
A Mid-century modern bar cart by American of Martinsville, featuring a warm walnut-toned case, sculpted recessed drawer pulls, brass supports, and original rolling casters. The desig...
Brass
Italian Mid-Century Modern Rolling Bar/Serving Cart
Located in Miami, FL
Cubist Industrial solid chromed metal frame with inset white Formica wengé shelves. In original good condition. The wheels works perfectly.
Metal
Brown Jordan Neoclassical Florentine Aluminum Serving Bar Cart
By Brown Jordan
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Large patio and garden rolling bar cart of serving cart made by Brown Jordan. The Florentine collection bar cart features an oversized wrought aluminum frame with iconic neoclassical...
Aluminum
Vintage Coastal Brown Jordan Florentine Wrought Iron Bar Cart
By Brown Jordan
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Fantastic vintage Coastal bar cart. Made by the iconic Brown Jordan in the coveted Florentine design. A matte black finish on a wrought iron frame. Inset glass shelves. Unmarked. Acq...
Wrought Iron
Brown Jordan Neoclassical Style Aluminum Bar Cart Trolley
By Brown Jordan
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Three tier aluminum bar cart or cocktail trolley made by Brown Jordan. Features a neoclassical acanthus design motif on two of the galleried tiers. T...
Aluminum
Richard Frinier Bronze Bar Cart for Brown Jordan
By Brown Jordan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An outdoor bar cart on casters by Richard Frinier for Brown Jordan. The cart was designed during Frinier’s tenure as design director of the company du...
Bronze
Garden Patio Bar Cart and Side Table Set Richard Frinier Brown Jordan
By Richard Frinier, Brown Jordan
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Award winning Richard Frinier designed this outdoor side table and cart set for Brown Jordan, circa 1980s. Cast aluminium and tempered glass. Primarily for outdoor use but certainly ...
Metal
Sold
H 33 in W 51 in D 21.5 in
Mid-Century Modern Richard Frinier Brown Jordan Three-Tier Patio Tea Bar Cart
By Brown Jordan, Richard Frinier
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
For your consideration is a three tier, aluminium and glass rolling bar cart, by Richard Frinier for Brown Jordan, circa 1950s. In excellent condition. The dimensions are 51" W x 21....
Aluminum
Brown Jordan Aluminum and Glass Bar Cart
By Brown Jordan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The bar cart was designed for Brown Jordan's classic outdoor collections in the 1970s. Its clean, handsome lines are constructed of brushed aluminum and dimpled, translucent glass.
Aluminum
Bar Cart by Richard Frinier for Brown Jordan
By Brown Jordan, Walter Lamb
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Three tier aluminum bar cart in the style of Walter Lamb. I was recently informed that Richard Frinier designed this cart for Brown Jordan. Contains original glass and steel rollers....
Aluminum, Steel