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Remodel & decorate in Mid Century Style

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Home / Kitchen

Eames in a Box: A 1959 Spartan Carousel trailer with a fantastic circular kitchen

Kate - Updated: November 7, 2022

Retro Renovation stopped publishing in 2021; these stories remain for historical information, as potential continued resources, and for archival purposes.

midcentury retro Spartan TrailerPrepare your eyeballs for this gem — a rare 1959 ‘Spartan Carousel’ trailer that, as its name suggests, includes a fabulous circular kitchen. This beauty was spotted for sale in Arizona and posted on the Vintage Mobile Homes for Sale Facebook page by midcentury travel trailer enthusiast Pete, owner of his own gorgeous 1964 Shasta Astroflyte trailer. 

round kitchen in vintage Spartan TrailerFolks, this mid mod mad trailer has it all — amazing circular kitchen with warm wood cabinets, a pink wall oven and sink, lovely copper accents, pendant lights — and topping it all off (literally), a circular dropped ceiling with a cutout featuring a sputnik chandelier. Oh, and it has a pink bathroom, too. Overall, it looks to be in pretty good shape — with some sensitive restoration (get the white paint off that original coppertone backsplash, please!), we can then imagine redecorating this Spartan Carousel in any number of retro ways to make this the grooviest tiny house on the planet. Who else is ready to downsize? 

front of Spartan TrailerI emailed the seller of the trailer, Steve, who was more than happy to let us feature this beauty on the blog. Thanks Steve!

Steve writes:

From what I know the trailer was purchased new in Mesa, Arizona, and then was moved up into Northern Arizona in its current location sometime in the late 1960’s or early 70’s. It has been used as a summer getaway/cabin since then, as it is up in the pines and 25-30 degrees cooler than Phoenix in the summer months.

vintage Spartan Trailer
From the Craigslist post:

label for mobile home made by spartan aircraft of tulsa oklahoma mobile home of america label in vintage spartan mobile home

I am selling our extremely rare 1959 Spartan Carousel 10 x 50 mobile home trailer. This vintage trailer is on three axles from the factory and can be moved. This vintage mobile home has been an Arizona trailer since new and has the original manuals, which are almost non-existent.

windows on spartan mobile home Spartan mobile home door

If you are looking at this ad you likely are already fully aware of just how extremely rare the Spartan Carousels are. Only a few of these have been offered for sale in the past decade, and I have never seen another Arizona trailer listed at any point. Arizona gives you the advantage of no rust issues and pitting issues, due to the dry climate.

interior of Spartan mobile home round kitchen in spartan mobile home circular kitchen in vintage Spartan mobile home starburst ceiling light in kitchen of Spartan mobile home

This trailer has often been referred to as the ultimate midcentury tiny home or Eames in a box. You cannot get anymore midcentury modern or atomic in styling than this. This trailer would make a fabulous home-office, guesthouse or tiny house for full-time living. It is a one bedroom, one bath, with the living room and, of course, the stellar rounded kitchen with Sputnik lamp fixture.

looking into the circular kitchen of Spartan mobile home pink ovens and pink kitchen sink living room of Spartan Trailer

The trailer is original and is never been restored. The interior has been painted, and the carpet part of the flooring has started to be removed so that new flooring can be installed. The trailer is sold in as, is-where is condition. The trailer is located in a park that is approximately three hours north east of Phoenix, Arizona.

$40,000 obo
Serious inquiries only please!!

pink tile bathroom and pink bath tub

There’s even a pink bathroom!

  • See the Craigslist listing for the Spartan Carousel trailer on the Northern Arizona Craigslist — NOTE, listing long gone, this story was from 2016.

CATEGORIES:
Kitchen Readers and Their Kitchens The Museum of Mid Century Material Culture woddities: wonderful oddities

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Reader Interactions

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73 comments

Comments

  1. Scott says

    March 14, 2016 at 6:06 pm

    Amazing. Easily the most un-trailer looking trailer interior I have ever seen and a kitchen you’d never in a million years guess was inside one. I love the recessed sputnik so much I almost wish I could un-see it because I’m absolutely obsessed with that detail now.

  2. Emily says

    March 13, 2016 at 5:55 pm

    My husband and I are currently restoring a 1959 Spartan Carousel just like this one. We’re trying to keep it as original as possible (yes, pink bathroom included!) Fun to see another one out there in the world!

    • Veronica says

      April 13, 2016 at 12:00 pm

      Emily, would love to hear more background story about your Carousel! Where did you find it? What shape was it in? And of course … pics! 😀

    • Margaret says

      December 4, 2016 at 2:06 am

      I would also love to know more about your Carousel, do you have a blog or pictures online anywhere you can share??? Please, pretty please? Also, if you have any questions about your restoration you really should join Vintage Trailer Talk at http://vintagetrailertalk.freeforums.net/ I’m a member of the forum, restoring a 1957 Westerner Deluxe 15′ travel trailer, and this place is a really big help to those of us taking on the restoration of these gems. I know yours probably won’t be traveling, but it doesn’t matter, it was still built like a travel trailer and you would be very welcome. Anyone for that matter that is restoring a vintage trailer is very welcome and we have lots of professional restoration members who share their knowledge for free and with all.

  3. Mary Elizabeth says

    March 13, 2016 at 4:09 pm

    Oh, my! Pink bath AND pink kitchen. Oh, my!

  4. mary ballerin says

    March 13, 2016 at 3:00 pm

    Me and my pug could live in this just fine, plenty of room and we have some midcentury decor to bring with us. 🙂 I want it!

  5. Elaine says

    March 13, 2016 at 2:47 pm

    Just love, love, love it! Lucky person who gets this fun trailer home!

  6. Joe Felice says

    March 13, 2016 at 1:36 pm

    You’ve gotta be kidding! This looks like a fully-appointed house. The only problem: The exterior walls are probably not sufficiently insulated for most parts of the country in the winter time.

  7. LisaLou says

    March 13, 2016 at 12:43 pm

    This is amazing! Cheers to those who preserve and enjoy these treasures.

  8. Diana says

    March 13, 2016 at 11:56 am

    Wow, what a beauty. Would LOVE to have this and the location seems perfect too. I’m guessing some where between Flagstaff, AZ and Winslow, AZ area. AWESOME!

  9. Rick G says

    March 13, 2016 at 11:41 am

    This is the Crown Jewel of all trailers, and if I didn’t just buy a house; I’d grab this gem in a second …. hmm …. I do have a big enough back yard though …. hmmm …. 🙂

  10. Steve says

    March 13, 2016 at 11:30 am

    Whoever ends up with this gem will surely be the envy of the neighborhood! With the item listed on Vintage Mobile Homes Facebook page and now here, I am sure whoever the lucky buyer is will continue to take pristine care of this beauty, knowing what they have. And with the price, it shouldn’t last long.

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