What an amazing find. 52 PostnBeam contributes an incredible amount of work on behalf of other Retro Renovators who are searching out vintage steel kitchen cabinets, by posting scores of craigslist leads from around the country on our steel kitchen cabinet Forum every week. In her miraculous searches, she often comes across other amazing finds. But, this must be one of the best of all time: A vintage General Electric patio cart, which was recently listed for sale on craiglist in Minneapolis — and looks to have been snapped up quickly. This piece is so interesting: A barbeque on one side, a stove, range and griddle on the other, serving shelves on both sides, and I think there might even be a rotisserie smashed in there. I presume that this was meant to be kept under cover. I am guessing it’s 1957, but I bet there are GE appliance experts among our community who may be able to narrow the date for us — ? This find is so wonderful: I hope the set designers at Mad Men snapped it up. Price listed was $1750 or best offer. Thank you, 52 PostnBeam!!
As someone who has seen one of these in person, let me tell you it is stunning! Some friends of mine in Houston purchased a turquoise “Partio Cart” in Houston about 10 years ago. The sucker is huge, but it was a great idea that never really caught on.
So would you roll this thing out to cook on the patio, and then roll back in when you were done?
I know a guy locally that has one for sale. I have not seen it in person just a picture of it. I never knew G.E. had made something like that, and just thought that it was a homemade deal. This one was missing the shelves for it though. I might see if he still has it and try and snatch it up.
Love the soft aqua.
This is fabulous! What an amazing idea! Wish they still made these!
I too have seen one in person and just love it! It was a mint example at an exhibition of ’50′s dinnerware and tableware here in Bartlesville, OK. It was turquoise also, and it had a turquoise and white umbrella that attached to the “partio cart”. Can you just imagine the backyard parties these things tell us?!
An umbrella that attached? Heaven!!!!
I would DIE! How perfect for my Tucson weather.
I have to imagine these run on 220v like an electric range?
My all-electric 1967 ranch was custom built for man who was an electrical engineer and an appliance designer for GE’s commercial appliance division. Consequently, there are 220/240 outlets in rather strange places, like out on the deck…
I don’t know if he and his wife ever had this model, but they did leave behind a very similar electric outdoor grill he had made out of a base cabinet on wheels, about a 40″ slab of Formica countertop, and dropped in an one of those Jenn-Air electric grill components. It plugged into the outlet on the deck and was apparently sheltered enough by the eaves that it didn’t get wet.
I LOVE the Patio Cart. Several years ago, one came up on Ebay. It had never been used. The people had gotten it as a prize on the Price is Right. It was aqua with the umbrella. It went for about $750. I wanted to bid but it was on the East Coast and I didn’t know how I would get it. I wish I would have figured it out and bid on it because you don’t see them too often. I also saw the one at the Price Tower exibition in OK. It was even cooler in person.
We have a GE patio grill/oven for sale.
It resides in Wiscosin – Rebecca if your out there
it is only a 45 min. drive from madison.
I have an ad for one of these in one of my vintage Better Homes & Gardens magaines … somewhere. I usually bookmark great ads, so I’ll try to find time to look for it this weekend and see if I can scan it.
I do seem to remember an attached umbrella, too.
thanks, magnarama, i’d love to share it if you find it!
Charles Phoenix always has one with him at the Denver Modernism Show…It’s awesome!
I have a Partio Cart in Colorado. It’s complete and unused including the owners manual, umbrella, cover and advertising sticker still in oven.
I’ve used it for TV promos and and as a backdrop for Charles Phoenix when he’s in town for the Denver Modernism Show. I may be taking to Modernism Week in Palm Springs this year. If someone ‘really’ needs it for the their collection, let me know.
It’s most likely the only used one in existence. …. or it might end up at the Orbit Inn!
hey mcmguy — send me a pic and i’ll put it on the blog!
My wife and I have one and love it. It does in fact run on 220V, and it does have a hole for an umbrella. I’ve never seen the umbrella but from the pictures it looks to have been rigid, perhaps fiberglass.
We bought ours from a friend and pushed it home, about a mile give or take.
Now where can we get a ’50s or ’60s Thermador wall oven to complete our kitchen….
Scott
I wanted to add a few details to Scott’s entry. When we first got the Partio Cart, I did a bit of research. It seems that it was made for only a couple and possibly just one year, around 1959. It sold for about $650 and debuted on the Price is Right. I think that such a high price and the fact that one had to run 220 to the back patio put the Partio Cart out of range for most people.
We are the third owners of ours. We have all of the attachments for the grill’s double rotisserie, including the basket for grilling vegetables. It all works perfectly, even the light on the back of the range. It is in mint condition with just a little ding on the front of the oven door. The second owner never used it. And I don’t think the original owners used it much either. It is one of our most prized vintage appliances.
We are trying to keep track of where the various Partio Carts surface, so now we can add Minneapolis to our list!
We have one of these in Ellensburg, Washington. If anyone interested we would be willing to sell.
That is so cool! …and it’s turquoise!
Don’t wanna say I’ve seen one just like it, (’cause I haven’t, but it sure is cool!) but recall something of a similar concept at an estate sale liquidator that I almost picked up…
Like this piece it had wheels and wooden side shelves, (with a formica woodgrain top) but the small two burner stove and electric grill were encased inside of a pull-out drawer on the front, below that was a very small (like toaster oven size) oven and below that was a small refrigerator. The whole thing was maybe only 24″ wide, about the size of an “apartment range …quite a bit smaller than this piece looks, and was finished in a harvest gold colour- placing it at a much later manufacture date. Don’t recall who the maker was on it, but it makes me wonder if they tried to monkey around with this idea off and on before finally giving up on it, or maybe I just saw something else entirely. Kinda sorry now I balked at the $90.
How about an excellent condition rolling square 1950′s BBQ with rotisserie /warming oven and several accessories — brown and chrome with two trays with 50′s laminate.. at $275 is that too much if I want one to enjoy at my lil ranch?
did you find one at that price? send me pics!
I have recently come across an 95% mint condition 1940-1950′s range made buy Roper.I would like to try to get a price on it but not sure where to look. So far I have only come across a few sites that look like scams. Does anyone have any sugestions for me.
Eric C
CIncinnati OH
Hey Eric, I don’t have the experience to make any recommendations….
I have a GE Patio Cart in good condition for sale.
I have what appears to be the exact set in picture 47 in stunning condition….soft turquoise stove, refrigerator and dishwasher. Can anyone help me with price to sell it?
Greg, we do not do pricing here. You can head over to our forum, though: http://retrorenovation.com/forums
I have a Westinghouse Rotisserie Grill, Electric Stove,oven combo that looks just like the pictures in this blog for sale in Arkansas – stove end looks like it has never been used
Annie, we have a forum for buying and selling, you can list your item there: http://retrorenovation.com/forums . Good luck.
I have one of these units listed on ebay – stove end looks like it has never been used – what year were these units made?
we have a vintage GE patio cart in mint condition, complete with owners manual and warranty papers. We are thinking of selling it. you can contact us at 905-871-2279 evenings