Vintage Koken Barber Chair Serial — Number List
While modern vinyl is fine, authentic restorers often use deep-buttoned tufted leather to match the 1910–1930s style. Conclusion
Early hydraulic models; introduction of the "joystick" lever. c. 1906 – 1915
: Look for Art Deco sharp lines for the 1920s–30s models, or more rounded, minimalist mid-century designs for the 1950s. vintage koken barber chair serial number list
Note: These ranges are approximate, as records from the early 1900s are scarce. Serial Number Range Approximate Year(s) c. 1895 – 1905 (Early Hydraulics) 25,001 – 50,000 c. 1906 – 1915 50,001 – 85,000 c. 1915 – 1925 85,001 – 110,000+ c. 1925 – 1935+
, with models dating from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century regularly fetching anywhere from $2,100 to over $12,500 on platforms like 1stDibs . Founded by Ernest Koken in St. Louis, Missouri, the company revolutionized the grooming industry by patenting the first hydraulic-operated chair and the iconic "joystick" side lever in 1892. Because official, fully comprehensive factory logs were lost when the original business closed, determining the exact age of a piece relies heavily on a vintage Koken barber chair serial number list reconstruction combined with physical design clues. While modern vinyl is fine, authentic restorers often
: While usually reserved for brand branding, look for smaller stamped digits on the brackets supporting the footrest.
If you own one of these beauties, one of the first questions you likely have is, “How old is my Koken chair?” A vintage Koken barber chair serial number list is a vital resource for answering this question. The serial number acts as the chair’s fingerprint, linking it to a specific point in Koken’s manufacturing timeline. 1906 – 1915 : Look for Art Deco
Vintage Koken Barber Chair Serial Number List: A Collector’s Guide to Dating
If your chair has a high serial number but low-end styling, it may be a "re-kokened" chair (repaired by Koken using older parts) or an experimental model. 5. Tips for Restoring Your Vintage Koken Chair
The story of Koken barber chairs begins in late 19th-century St. Louis, Missouri. While some sources date the company's formal founding to 1875, the most significant innovations came from its founder, Ernest Koken, a German immigrant who began his career producing hand-painted shaving mugs. Koken reportedly started manufacturing barbers' chairs in the 1880s, quickly becoming a pioneer in the field.
A Koken expert on a Q&A forum clarifies the distinction between different types of numbers: “Koken barber chairs typically have a stamped serial number on the underside of the seat plate or on the iron base casting. ... If it’s a Koken medical/dental bed or table → you’re more likely to find casting/model numbers, but barber chairs almost always have a true serial number”.
