Todd of the electric blue steel kitchen cabinets sent us this delightful artifact from midcentury America, the land where anything was possible: A bar made from the back end parts of a Trailmobile trailer. As I underscore in the headline, Todd says this in not something that someone has made today, or even 20 years ago, from an old Trailmobile. This bar was made by Trailmobile itself as a “presentation piece.” Todd did not give me a model year for this bus, do we have an expert out there who can tell my the design details. Todd writes:
Dear Pam,
A bar in the home…
Often a vintage bar is a dainty thing, suitable for a retro apartment. This is a large bar that lived in a very large mid century rec room in Central Pennsylvania. We brought it to Philadelphia where the Trailmobile bar was the central visual feature for a decade at Lost Highways Archive & Research Library, and then spent the last 10 years in storage.
It was built specifically at the Trailmobile factory as a presentation piece, then given to a fellow who had been a big deal in the Department of Transportation as a thank you for something now lost to history.
Anyway, this is a masculine item I thought you might wish to show on your site. Retro guys like to incorporate vintage transportation items into their surroundings, and my groovy wife and I have always worked with a comfortable combination of masculine and feminine retro in our home and work space.
Thank you, Todd, keep ’em coming. You and DW have the groove thing going on, for sure!
Elaine says
Here is a short history of Trailmobile from their site:
Manac Inc, a family owned company, is now among the major semitrailer manufacturers in North America. Manac Trailers has achieved another milestone with its 3 Great Brands, each one with its own unique product design.
Since its inception in the 1960s, Manac Trailers with its line of specialized flatbed trailers has been dedicated to serving all the needs of the transportation industry.
Trailmobile has been a registered trade name since the early 1900s, making it one of the pioneers in the semitrailer industry.
Elaine says
More detailed history here:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Trailmobile-Trailers-History&id=4366619
Laurie V says
Ah, this brings back fond memories of camping & drinking. . .
Lauryn says
LOVE THIS!!!!!
Lee in Florida says
Suh-weet!
Jessica says
I am not even much of a drinker and I want it. Like now. Wonderful find!! 🙂
Todd Kimmell says
Pam, thanks so much for showing this. For clarity, this is the top front end of a Trailmobile commercial trailer, as in tractor trailer, transformed at the factory into this finished bar, not cut down from an old trailer. I had hoped to send it out to our beloved friends at Funky Junk Farms in Altedena, Cali, where it’s scale would fit in the environment there easily. Here is a sample their place… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhMrZihKrTs
Jessica says
Todd,
You’re selling this?!
Todd Kimmell says
With considerable melancholy… yes. That said, a majorly groovy artifact that languishes in deep storage is like a wonderful toy that never gets played with. Time for the other groove kids to have fun with it!
gsciencechick says
Wow, that is awesome but massive! I could never fit anything that large in our home.
BungalowBILL says
Now that’s the kind of thing that could make me start drinking. AWESOME!