Bar Cart in Hardwood & Formica, Geraldo de Barros for Unilabor, 1960s

Made in the 1960s, this bar cart—also known as a tea trolley—features a solid rosewood (jacaranda) structure with two levels. The original Formica surfaces were too damaged to be preserved, so they were carefully replaced with high-quality hardwood veneer that remains faithful to the piece’s period and design intent. All other components, including the tray, structure, and original wheels, are intact and in good condition.

The top level includes a removable tray, while the lower level is fixed. The wood has been professionally refinished to reveal the natural beauty and grain of the rosewood. Aside from minor marks on the legs consistent with age, the cart is in very good vintage condition.

This bar cart was also featured in the Netflix series Girls of Ipanema (known as Coisa Mais Linda), set in Rio de Janeiro at the turn of the 1950s to 1960s. A perfect piece for collectors who appreciate Brazilian mid-century modern design and its cultural legacy.

Designer Bio:
Geraldo de Barros was a key player in Brazil's Modernist movement during the 1950s. Having initially been a painter close to the European avant-garde and the pioneer of abstract photography in Brazil in the 1940s, de Barros moved into furniture design in the early 1950s.

He founded the company Unilabor in 1954 with a Dominican priest and skilled tradesmen. Unilabor became one of the most important furniture companies in Brazil, but internal disputes led to its closure in 1967. De Barros then founded Hobjeto, another furniture design company, with Aloísio Bione in 1964.

Geraldo de Barros' furniture designs were known for their modernist style, clean lines, and use of materials such as wood, metal, and glass. He also incorporated elements of Brazilian culture and traditions into his designs, such as using traditional weaving techniques in his chairs and incorporating local woods like jacaranda and peroba in his pieces. Overall, his designs were functional, elegant, and timeless.

His work has been exhibited in several museums around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Pinacoteca do Estado in Sao Paulo. De Barros passed away in 1998, but his legacy continues to influence contemporary artists and designers.