seeking info on 1920s "portable bar"

Hello! In a 1927 issue of Time Magazine (image provided below) there was a short feature on a portable bar/cocktail wagon called the "Baker Bar-ette." It was sold at department stores in NYC, Chicago, and LA. As you'll see from the description, it sounds pretty swanky, and I have found a letter written by Baker himself indicating that it was priced at $175 - steep, right? He also claims to have sold "$95,000 worth" of these bar-ettes in the boom (i.e. pre-bust!) year of 1928. I would be so grateful for any info anyone can provide on any of the questions below:

1. If the sales figure is accurate, approx. 500 were sold. Does this mean that about 500 would have been made? 750? 1000? Would this have been a large number or a small number at the time?

2. Would things like this have been made in the USA, possibly in NYC, or somewhere abroad?

3. Has anyone here ever seen *this specific* portable bar - even just a picture of it? I have done a lot of searching, and of course have seen plenty of 1920s bar carts, but this one is elusive. A limited edition "inspired-by" cart was designed and marketed about 10 years or so ago, but it was not based on any original, only (I believe) the Time Magazine description.

4. Is one/are any likely to have survived over the last 100 years? If one of these were still around, where would I be most likely to find it, or get put on its trail?

Thanks very much for reading!

 

The Bar-Ette Manufacturing Co. appears to have been based in Los Angeles. At least in 1946, according to The Decorative Furnisher.

Debora

 

You did find this on Pinterest? About the Baker
Bar-ette's elusiveness?

Debora

 

Yes, I know about that, thanks!

 

Also, should have said: the info re Bar-ette Mfg Co in LA is interesting and useful, thanks for that too!

 

A fantasy image of it is here ...
https://drunkard.com/i-drink-the-world-the-charles-h-baker-jr-story/

 

Yep, I know that one, too! Seems hard to believe that not even one of these has survived ... but then again maybe it's not? Maybe it wasn't that well made, fell apart easily, etc?

 

From @Roaring20s link:


And the caption that says there are no known examples extant.


I wonder if period mail order catalogs from those stores would have an illustration.

 

Well, this is not in any way meant to diminish the work of the writers of those articles about Baker, but my own research on him over the past couple of years suggests that in many cases they did not (because it wasn't necessary for the kind of article they were writing) follow every detail up as far as possible. I'm sure that, in respect of the bar-ette, they did the same kind of first- and second-level searching I've done, which has indeed turned up nothing, but I'm not sure they consulted antique furniture experts, which is why I'm coming here! Thanks again.

 

Cool-The 'Baker Bar-ette' as elusive as the Maltese Falcon.One of the grails of Bar Ware.

 

Idle question: if you found one to sell, how would you sell it? If it was going to auction, what kind of auction would it be? (you can bet there's one sitting unrecognized in someone's attic, or barn, or garage.)

 

If you find one to sell, please sell it to me! I agree that there must be at least one sitting in someone's house somewhere. My serious research-type question remains: if 500-1000 of a large piece like this were made 100 years ago, what is the typical rate of survival? Do furniture people have some kind of formula that helps with valuation, etc.?

 

@Jeremy Lopez
Just curious: are you aware of these things?

 

According to the American Institute for Economic Research, the value of $175 in 1928 is equivalent to just over $3,000 today. That would be one half of the average U.S. salary at the time. A luxury item indeed (and evidenced by it being sold only in carriage trade stores.) More interesting than it was sold pre-Depression is that it was marketed in the middle of Prohibition. Would/could you post a scan of the Baker letter you found?

Debora

 

Can't say there is any kind of formula to use. Certain items have a better chance of survival than others. For example, sewing machines survive in large numbers due to them being expensive when new, durable, and useful. Many a granny sewed upon them and their heirs are reluctant to toss them out. On the other hand, less durable and inexpensive items are less likely to be kept.

The bar cart has one thing going for it. It was expensive when new. The fact that it is made of metal probably makes it less likely to be kept. Metal tends to deteriorate over time (rust, pitting, etc.) and is prone to dents and dings. If something looks shabby due to improper care, it is more likely to be tossed. That said, I would think there has to be some survivors out there.

If one were to come to the market in good condition, it is hard saying what it could bring. The first of anything always brings a premium. For example, a first beer can from a CA brewery from the 30s came to the market and brought over $10K. Little did anyone know, the seller had 5 more due to a spent 6-pack being left in an attic eaves when drank. The seller actually gave a second one to the buyer and the rest brought considerably less when sold. Once the market was broached, more found their way to the market eventually.

Now, bar carts are not beer cans but the market principles still apply. The first one brought to the market with appropriate publicity will command a premium. Once the sale is publicized, more will come out of the woodwork. As of now, there really isn't the demand for them specifically and few people probably even know that they are being sought. I imagine some have changed hands over the years at typical bar cart values with nobody knowing what they had. Getting the word out here and other places should eventually spring one loose.

 

I don't have a scan of the letter; it's part of a collection of letters between Baker and the publisher of his first cookbook archived in the Princeton library. It's from August 1939, i.e. a decade after the bar-ette was in stores, and the context is Baker telling his publisher how good he is at marketing luxury items (the cookbook was to be an expensive $15), so it's possible his recall is not perfect and/or that he's bragging a bit, but I think he's probably telling the truth that the bar-ette was a high-end good. The letter also emphasizes Baker's close connection with some Abercrombie & Fitch people. Thinking about this in light of the advice from one of these posts, it seems obvious that looking for a 1928 A&F catalog would be a good idea. A very cursory search over the last 30 minutes suggests that this will be hard to find, and expensive if found. Archive.org doesn't seem to have digitized them.

 

My quick search for A&F catalogs only brought up catalogs for camping supplies and clothing. I don't know if a bar cart would appear in their catalogs or not. Anyway, worth a shot.

This library has some A&F catalogs from the appropriate time period. You might try contacting them.

Abercrombie & Fitch,, 1927-1929. | ArchivesSpace Public Interface

 

Thanks so much for this detailed reply! I had not thought about the metal v. wood factor, which of course makes complete sense. I note the description of the item in Time says "red lacquer finish," which I thought meant it was made of wood - but maybe that's an incorrect assumption?

Thanks also for the note about A&F catalogs at the Claremont library. I will begin hunting in libraries soon; I've had good luck tracking down almost all of the pulp magazines for which Baker wrote (another rabbit hole...) in that way.

Once again, I'm very grateful!

 

Wise words Brad.

 

I would say that the majority of bar carts have at least some metal components (framework). I also based my thoughts on the above picture of the facsimile bar cart, that appears to be metal. I don't really know. I suppose it could be wood. If painted wood, it has an equal chance of looking shabby over time. Painted wood surfaces generally do not hold up terribly well. They do tend to get re-painted, rather than thrown out.