Vintage Koken Barber Chair Serial Number List

The Ultimate Guide to Vintage Koken Barber Chair Serial Numbers

If you’ve ever stumbled upon a heavy, cast-iron, porcelain-enamel barber chair in an old shop or an estate sale, chances are you’ve met a Koken. For decades, the Koken Barber Chair Company of St. Louis, Missouri, set the gold standard for barber furniture. Today, restoring a vintage Koken is a labor of love for many collectors.

Authentic vintage Koken barber chairs are among the most sought-after antiques in the industry, particularly those featuring Ernest Koken's revolutionary hydraulic lift system vintage koken barber chair serial number list

1. The Armrests

• Square wooden blocks (no curves): 1880s–1895.
• Curved wooden armrests: 1895–1910.
• Porcelain (white or black) removable armrests: 1910–1925.
• Solid cast iron, integral to backrest: 1925–1940.
• Thin steel/padded upholstered arms: 1950s onward.

Introduction