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, and to seller Katie for permission to feature the photo.
Greg says
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?
pam kueber says
Greg, we do not do pricing here. You can head over to our forum, though: https://retrorenovation.com/forums
Marv Jordan says
I have a GE Patio Cart in good condition for sale.
Eric C says
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
pam kueber says
Hey Eric, I don’t have the experience to make any recommendations….
Jonathan P says
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?
pam kueber says
did you find one at that price? send me pics!
J.R. says
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.
Happy Daze says
That is so cool! …and it’s turquoise! 😀
Scott Swank says
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
Heidi Swank says
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!
Marlene says
We have one of these in Ellensburg, Washington. If anyone interested we would be willing to sell.
mcmguy says
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!
pam kueber says
hey mcmguy — send me a pic and i’ll put it on the blog!
Shawn says
Charles Phoenix always has one with him at the Denver Modernism Show…It’s awesome!
Magnarama says
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.
pam kueber says
thanks, magnarama, i’d love to share it if you find it!