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

Prepare 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. 

Folks, 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? 

I 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.

From the Craigslist post:

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.

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.

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.

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!!

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.