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Vintage Milwaukee Stamping Co Handy Table Chair Set Portable Picnic Suitcase. Condition is Used. Local pickup only.
c. 1930s/1940s; Milwaukee Stamping Co. - Milwaukee, WI
Portable folding picnic table and integrated chair set marketed as the "Handy" Table & Chair Set by Milwaukee Stamping Co. Constructed with a collapsible black-painted metal framework and faux woodgrain panels with bright yellow trim, the entire assembly folds inward into a suitcase-style carrying case with integrated handle and corner protectors. When opened, the case transforms into a four-seat picnic or camping table with attached cantilevered bench seats supported by arched metal legs and locking braces.
The design is covered under U.S. Patent No. 1,936,969, issued November 28, 1933 to Carl T. Osterberg of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The patent describes the set as a compact "legless table" intended for tourists and campers, emphasizing that the folding seats, braces, and supports collapse entirely within the shallow suitcase-form tabletop for easy transport and storage. The patented construction specifically eliminated traditional table legs to provide unobstructed legroom beneath the table while reducing overall weight and bulk. The patent further details the hinged seat frames, folding braces, and toggle-supported tabletop system that allowed the entire assembly to fold into a compact carrying case.
Shows moderate wear consistent with age and use including scratches, paint loss, oxidation to hardware, edge wear, scuffs, and surface abrasions throughout. Faux woodgrain surfaces show scattered finish wear and minor lifting or chipping along edges as shown. Mechanism remains sturdy and folds smoothly into carrying configuration.
59" W x 32" D x 27" H open
