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The Koken Company: A Trip Down Memory Lane

A catalog from the Internet Archives has recaptured this site’s interest in the Koken Company and the Koken brand. It is such a quintessential brand that played a huge role in shaping today’s market for antique barber chairs. The catalog provided details of Koken’s commitment to making high quality barber chairs and other barbers’ furniture. Unfortunately, the catalog is protected by copyright laws; thus, the beautiful photos cannot be shared. Those who would like to see the 138-page document that’s filled with Koken products from 1928 can head over to the this link.

The Koken Companies

Koken didn’t just make barber chairs. It manufactured a variety of barbers’ furniture and supplies as well. To carry out these operations, the Koken Plant in St. Louis, Missouri needed 15 acres of land, which was considered the largest of its kind at that time. Koken also had factories in New York and Oakland, California, but they were not as big as the one in St. Louis.

Koken Plant in St. Louis, Missouri - Koken Company — *Koken Barbers’ Supply Co. Historic District, photo credit: Parker Botanical, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons*

Koken had at least 13 different departments that produced parts for barber chairs and other furniture during its prime. The company also had a building dedicated to its foundry. It was where the workers melted iron to cast into barber chairs.

In one of the other buildings, the Plating Department did chrome and nickel plating for various Koken products. Meanwhile, the Upholstery Department did the cushioned seats and back covers for barber chairs. Only the most seasoned employees were placed there because the company treated upholstery as a very important feature of its barber chairs.

*An example of a Plating Department with nickel baths. Indian Motorcycle Co. Springfield, MA, circa 1918, colorized*

It’s awe-inspiring to see how these different units at the Koken Plant came together to produce high quality products that survived to this day. Sadly, not very many hands are involved in most of today’s manufacturing operations.

Koken Barbers’ Supplies and Furniture

One of the most interesting parts of the catalog is the barbers’ supplies and furniture section. Koken is known for its barber chairs, but not much information is out there when it comes to Koken mirror cases, barber poles, razor strops, or hair tonics. As it turned out, Koken had it all.

Described below are some of Koken’s products in the catalog:

Tonique De Luxe

*An illustration of a hair tonic bottle (not Koken)*

This hair tonic was sold exclusively in barber shops and beauty salons. Its odor is sourced from natural flower oils. Size and pricing schemes ranged from the small No. 14 bottle at 0.75¢ up to a 1-gallon, 2 large bottles at $6.

Razor Strop

Koken sold several razor strops in various sizes. The leather was sourced in various parts of the United States and from Russia. Prices ranged from $1.25 to $9.00.

A strop is used by barbers to sharpen and polish their razors. They usually use it before and after use. A strop dressing is applied to keep the strop soft and pliable.

Portable Hair Dryer

Hair dryers in the 1920’s were huge and loud. They had big motors and were made of steel. The most extravagant hair dryer in the catalog was priced at $25.00, which is equivalent to $430.00 in 2023. Today, the most popular brand in the same price point is Dyson.

A portable electric hair dryer from the 1890's, colorized — *A portable electric hair dryer from the 1890’s, colorized*

Barbers’ Pole

*Frankfort-Elberta, MI, USA, circa 1920, colorized; photo credit: Don…The UpNorth Memories Guy, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0*, *via Flickr*

Koken revolving barbers’ poles are powered by a winding mechanism that resembles grandfather clocks. The company claimed that one winding in the morning allows their poles to revolve throughout the day. Furthermore, the iron exterior is coated with porcelain enamel to protect the pole from the elements.

Shoe-Shining Stands

Shoe-shine stands are still in use today, but they’re not as prevalent in the western hemisphere as they are in other parts of the world.

*Shoeshiners, 135th St. and Lenox Ave., 1939, colorized, via New York Public Library*

Shoe-shining stands were everywhere in the 1920’s. They can be seen in hotels, train stations, airports, business establishments, and town squares.

Koken made several shoe-shining stands as well. The company manufactured one-seater, two-seater, three-seater, and four-seater shoe-shining stands from their Mill Building. Then, they are finished with varnish or enamel in the Wood Finishing Department. From the illustrations, one can tell that the build quality is top-notch.

Reading the Koken Catalog No. 21 felt like going back to that period when quality was given the utmost importance. It was truly a glorious time!

What is the Barber’s Sign and What Does it Mean?

by Antique Collector

The barber’s sign hasn’t changed much over the years. Breakthroughs in lighting effects and computer generated imagery has certainly made it more appealing, but it’s still the same sign that everyone remembers when they need to have a shave or haircut.

In this article, we will explore the bloody history of the barber’s sign. The sign consists of a pole wrapped in swirls of red and white. In the United States, it has the colors red, white and blue.

Barber’s pole, Drummond Street Once a common sight, but now a rarity, this shop has retained its barber’s pole, symbolising the white bandages and blood from the time when barber-surgeons performed amputations. Credit: Kim Traynor

Barbers have always had a thing for sharp tools. After all, they needed a sharp razor or a pair of scissors to cut hair effectively. Otherwise, they would end up with no profit and a disgruntled client.

The term, barber was derived from the Latin word, barba, meaning beard. However, barbers have already existed since the creation of razors in the Bronze Age.

In ancient Egypt, they enjoyed high positions because they were the priests and the doctors at that time. In ancient Greece, they were called cureus and were tasked to trim hair, shave beard or cut fingernails. They were commonly found in an agora (market).

The beginning of the Middle Ages (between AD 400 to AD 1499) marked the fall of the Roman Empire. War was prevalent throughout medieval Europe, which also paved the way for barber surgeons. Barbers were expert knife wielders due to their frequent use of sharp razors, so they were tasked to perform surgeries during the war.

A barber and a surgeon attending to soldiers. Credit: Wellcome Images

Physicians, on the other hand, acted as academics who would put up theories on how surgeries were done. They didn’t want to do the dirty work, so the barber surgeons were the ones who applied their theories. The rule of thumb back then was to take out blood in order to prevent infection or any other diseases from coming into the body. That’s why the use of leeches was also a common practice.

Barber surgeon or feldsher performing an amputation.

A feldsher performing an amputation.

In peacetime, barbers settled in castles and monasteries. Others traveled from one place to another. Aside from common folks, they also offered their services to the wealthy and to monks who needed to be bald as part of their tradition. Their services varied from cutting hair, shaving beard, bloodletting to pulling teeth. Basically, anyone needing medical attention or a haircut went to the barber.

A travelling barber-surgeon examining a man’s head. Credit: Wellcome Library, London.

Barbers eventually set up shop in marketplaces. They would often hang bandages on poles outside the establishment after surgery or tooth extraction. The landmark was so familiar that it became the barber’s sign that we all know today.

The early barber sign was a barber pole with blood-filled bandages wrapped around it. The pole was reportedly used by the patient to expose the veins. The barber would then create an incision on the part where the vein is clearly seen. White represents the bandage while red represents the blood. The swirl on the barber’s sign is perhaps due to the wind causing the bandages to twirl around the pole. In many parts of North America, blue was added, which was thought to represent the veins.

It wasn’t until the mid-1700’s that an initiative was launched to distinguish surgeons from barbers. We now know what happened afterwards, i.e. barbers went on to cut hair and were prohibited from performing any kind of surgery while surgeons held the exclusive license to perform surgery.

The barber sign continues to be an icon of a modest profession that dates as far back as the Bronze Age.

Over the years, the barber sign turned into a lighting spectacle. Some of the most intricate ones include animations from an LED billboard. Even so, the idea remained the same as it was during the Middle Ages. The sign still shows a stripe of red and white or red, white and blue spinning endlessly.

The History of the Ancient Dentist Chair

by Antique Collector

Have you ever asked yourself where the dentist chair came from? Over time, this sophisticated equipment has evolved into what it is today – an extremely comfortable sci-fi looking chair with a lot of room for attachments.

Old dentist chairs are often confused with those used by barbers, and quite rightly so. The beginnings of dentistry have a lot to do with them. The first people to practice dentistry or dental care were phlebotomy barbers. They would ask their patients to sit on a simple wooden chair to remove their teeth.

These days, vintage or antique dentist chairs can be seen in some museums around Europe and North America. While looking at these old chairs, one can probably imagine the patients who yelled in pain while they had their teeth pulled off without anesthesia.

One of the earliest known dentists in North America is Josiah Flagg. His first ad appeared in a newspaper in 1790. His centerpiece apparatus was a Windsor chair and an adjustable head rest as well as a couple of arm rests as attachments. His antique dentist chair, a modified Windsor chair, is now displayed at the Edward and Trudy Weaver Historical Dental Museum in Philadelphia, USA.

Windsor chair similar to the one used by Josiah Flagg

Windsor Chair, Writing Chair Comb Back Style, built by Charles H. Mower of New Hampshire Windsors & Period Furniture

40 years later, in 1832, James Snell turned the old Flagg dentist chair into a modern recliner with custom upholstery.

In 1848, Milton Waldo Hanchett patented a dental chair he built from scratch. In 1875, a fully reclining dentist chair was produced by the Buffalo Dental Group. It also came with a chair for the dentist, the first of its kind.

In 1877, Dr. Basil M. Wilkerson designed the first hydraulic dentist chair.

In the 1940’s, the Ritter Dental Company pioneered the design of several dental chairs that allowed tools to be within the dentist’s reach. Appliances were easy to get to and would automatically turn off when returned to their holders. This concept of grouping tools in a single unit was all thanks to Carl Ritter.

The dentist chair continues to evolve as demand for convenience continues to grow. Changes in dental practices also make modifications in dental equipment necessary.

Antique Dentist Chair vs. Antique Barber Chair

by Antique Collector

It is quite remarkable that an antique dentist chair and an antique barber chair bear striking similarities. Some collectors even get confused when they have their classic chairs appraised.

How did this come about? Why is it that two completely unrelated professions seemingly make use of an identical equipment? We’ll find out in this article.

Antique dental chair with hydraulic adjustment, c1900; Credit: Wellcome Images

The Barber-Surgeon-Dentist Connection

It all began in the Medieval Period, between the 5th and 15th century. Back then, barbers were called barber surgeons. They weren’t just cutting hair, their main task was to assist wounded soldiers and perform surgery if necessary. Think of them as modern combat medics. The combat medic carries an aid bag which contains various medicines and equipment essential to saving the lives of soldiers. The barber surgeon, on the other hand only has his trusty razor as his all-around tool. In those days, medical practitioners believed that taking out blood helps prevent diseases from entering the body.

You might have asked, where were the doctors back then? In the middle ages, physicians were in the academe, acting as consultants and lecturers. They were the philosophers of the medical world or the theorists of modern physics. The actual practice of pulling teeth, cutting bodily tissues, examining cataracts or performing bloodletting was left to the barbers.

When the wars were over, barbers would settle down and set up shop. They would put barber poles outside as an indicator. Once people see a pole with red and white stripes, they would know that it is the place to go to have a haircut, treat their wounds, have a tooth extraction or simply have a conversation.

Barber Shop Humor Illustration

It wasn’t until the 18th century when physicians began distancing themselves from barbers. Physicians became more scientific in the Age of Enlightenment. They also became more reliable by having licensure exams, apprenticeship and laboratory work among others.

Indeed, a lot has changed in this day and age. The distinction between surgeons, dentists and barbers has become very clear.

The Antique Dentist Chair

Way back when dentists and barbers were one and the same, their tools and equipment were also very similar. The dental chair began as a modified chair with armrests and a headrest. It’s basically any chair where a person can sit in a relaxed position.

19th Century Dentist’s Office. Credit: Tomasz Sienicki

It was later improved to include a footrest and have a reclining mechanism that adjusts the back. The dentist chair kept on improving with an added hydraulic mechanism that can raise or lower it.

Antique dentist chair with hydraulic on display at Glenside Museum. Credit: Rodw

It wasn’t clear which came first. Was it the antique barber chair or the antique dentist chair? In the United States, records show that dental chair designs came out in the mid-1800’s while barber chairs only came out in the late 1800’s and flourished in the early 1900’s.

Antique Dentist Chair and Antique Barber Chair

Here’s a quick 2.5-minute video from Pawn Stars’ expert antique restorer, Bob Yuhas who pointed out the differences between these antique chairs.

The Modern Dentist Chair

The dental industry has come a long way. Times have changed and methods have improved.

While the practice of cutting or shaving hair hasn’t changed much, dentistry has undergone major changes over the years. Tooth extraction has become a walk in the park among dentists and patients alike. False tooth replacement procedures like dentures, bridges and implants have also advanced to the point that distinguishing between a real tooth and a false one has become less relevant.

The modern dentist chair design is more futuristic than ever that it has become an inspiration to a famous video game. The Animus in the Assassin’s Creed games is very much like the modern dentist chair.

Dentist chair-inspired Animus 2.0 from the video game, Assassin’s Creed II. Ubisoft

If you are not sure whether you have an antique dentist chair or an antique barber chair, ask us in our Antique Barber Chairs Facebook page.

Essential Koken Barber Chair Parts

by Antique Collector

Due to the popularity of the Koken brand, there seems to be a demand for Koken barber chair parts. An extensive search on a widely recognized online auction site yielded a number of pieces that are being traded or offered for sale. Let’s take a peek at each one.

Please keep in mind that this is in no way a definitive resource on the subject. The goal is to have an overview of the parts and an understanding of how they connect with the whole.

Here’s a shortlist of Koken barber chair parts that exist on the marketplace at this time (from top to bottom):

headrest
backrest
arm rest
seat, seat base
hydraulic lift mechanism
calf rest, footrest
base

Koken Barber Chair Parts

Headrest
The headrest is a removable accessory that plays a huge role during massage sessions. An antique Koken headrest is usually made of cast iron with a brass bracket and leather upholstery. A chrome finish is usually preferred in restoration projects. This part also includes some kind of a push button control that allows for the removal of the headrest when activated.

Backrest
The backrest is often matched with the headrest and the seat. The frame is likewise made of cast iron. The cushioning is covered with leather. This part can also accommodate a piece of metal called the towel bar that can be attached to the rear.

Arm rest
Arm rests occasionally provide accent to the barber chair. When the color matches the base and complements the upholstery, the chair incredibly stands out. The assembly is similar to the frames and are often chromed. Other variants come with ash trays attached.

Seat
The seat is also matched with the backrest. It has the same components as the others above it. However, the seat base serves an important role. It can be the location of the towel bar, and it’s often where the handle that allows the barber chair to recline is found. The handle also functions as a control mechanism to elevate or lower the chair.

Hydraulic Lift Mechanism
The system that conveniently allows the chair to go up or down is the hydraulic lift. It is a complex apparatus that has its own subparts. It contains the piston pump assembly, relief valve, filter, plunger, cylinder and the hydraulic cover that’s generally made of oak. This mechanism is a trademark of early Koken barber chairs.

Calf rest, Footrest
The calf rest is matched with the parts above it and is made of the same material as the other Koken barber chair parts. It has specific sizes that can only fit relevant units. The upholstery is also made of leather. The footrest, on the other hand seems to be the manufacturer’s favorite location to showcase its brand. The assembly is made up of cast iron frame with an intricate logo on the lower part and cushioning on the upper part.

Base
Finally, there’s the base that firmly supports the chair on the ground. It is normally made of porcelain. A chrome metal ring serves as a covering for the line that connects the upper section and the bottom.

If there are other Koken barber chair parts that were not discussed, let us know in the comments.

Antique Barber Chair Appraisal

by Antique Collector

As a follow-up to an earlier article entitled, How Do You Find The Value Of Your Antique Barber Chair?, this post takes on the subject of consulting a professional antique appraiser a bit more.

If you have an antique barber chair that you’d like to sell, but information on the furniture is hard to come by despite substantial research, consider having it appraised by an expert as a last resort. You will end up paying a considerable amount for the appraisal, but it should be well worth it if you believe that the chair you own has something of value.

An antique appraisal is also required for insurance, tax or loan purposes. For example, if you want your home insured along with the antique barber chair in your basement, the insurance firm will need to know the appraised value of the timeless item that’s being covered. Otherwise, it will be treated as any other or under a general policy.

Reputable appraisers make it a point that they are members of one or more of these professional appraisal organizations:

International Society of Appraisers (ISA)
American Association of Appraisers (AAA)
Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP)
Association of Online Appraisers (AOA)

Moreover, some are members of antique dealer associations within their state.

You should keep in mind that prices of antique items vary across different states. An appraiser who’s situated locally is likely to give you a more effective appraisal than a more well-known appraiser in a neighboring region.

There’s one notable site that offers appraisals with payments on a good faith basis. JustAnswer has a handful of Antique Experts who have decades of experience in dealing with a bunch of old stuff, including antique barber chairs. Many of these professionals are members of ISA, USPAP and/or AOA. One of them might be able to provide an adequate appraisal of your antique chair. If you can give links to photos or videos of your chair, then they could possibly give you a more accurate quote. Good luck!

Top 3 Most Popular Barber Chairs for Sale

by Antique Collector

A lookup on eBay about the various barber chair manufacturers that existed in the United States from the 1800’s up to some time the mid-1900’s revealed a fascinating trend. For one, several barber chair parts are being sold or auctioned off. These parts came from manufacturers in different time periods. It’s amazing that they survived the test of time. Second, a few memorabilia exist as well, ranging from schematics to posters and ads. Finally, the condition of many of the vintage and antique barber chairs for sale are surprisingly not as bad as one would expect them to be. They’ve been used for a long time, yet they’re still functional up to this day.

Here’s a quick rundown of the top 3 most popular barber chairs on eBay’s sold listings presented in a highly summarized and visually appealing manner. The infographic is not definitive by any means and may change over time. As of February 2013, these are the top barber chairs for sale. Click on the image to make it larger and more readable (opens in a new window):

Antique Barber Chairs From Louis Hanson

by Antique Collector

The Louis Hanson Company wasn’t solely a barber chair manufacturer, but it was generally a well known furniture maker in Chicago. The owner, Louis Hanson, is a Danish immigrant. Established in 1883, the company produced picture frames during its early years. Later on, it expanded to other furniture such as mirrors. At some point, it decided to go into the barber’s supply business by designing its own barber chair.

Not much is known about this company, but a comprehensive biography of Louis Hanson has been posted on the Newberry website. It gives us an idea as to who the man behind the Louis Hanson barber chairs was.

Louis Hanson engraving

Louis Hanson was born in Denmark on September 16, 1843. He was 22 when he decided to move to the United States to make his mark. He lived in Maine for a year, where he found work at a picture frame factory. At that time, he earned one dollar for every day that he worked. He then moved to Boston where he stayed for another year doing the same job. It wasn’t until 1867 that he came to Chicago and began his amazing career.

He was a notable example of someone who worked smart, took risks and rose from poverty to wealth. With all the lessons learned from the various factories that he worked for throughout the years, he finally started his own business in 1871 using his own savings. To make ends meet, he partnered with David Goodwillie to make picture frames, a skill he mastered after years of work in the production line. In 1877, he bought out his partners to take full control of the company. The business grew under his leadership. It also established several factory departments for mirrors, moldings and barber chairs. But the company’s growth wasn’t without trials. In 1880, it suffered huge losses when the entire factory, along with its tools and machinery, burned to the ground. Within three days, a new and larger plant was acquired in a different location.

Louis Hanson barber chair

In 1898, the business reached a milestone by exporting barbers’ furniture to Johannesburg, South Africa. However, its main market was really in Maine up to California. The company’s products were popular across the country.

Although Louis Hanson barber chairs weren’t as innovative and flamboyant as its competitors in that era, there are still a lot of hardcore collectors willing to pay top dollar for an early 1900’s model in good condition. These days, it’s hard to come across one, though. Due to the manufacturer not really focused on barber’s supply, probably only a limited number of them exist.

The Barber’s Pole: What It Really Means

by Antique Collector

We’ve been talking a lot about antique barber chairs in this blog, but one thing that shouldn’t be left out is the symbol. The barber’s pole has been used to indicate a barber’s presence since the Middle Ages (during the 5th – 15th centuries). Nowadays, when you see a sign with red, white and blue stripes, you know it’s where you want to have a haircut. In other parts of the world, barber poles are also used in prostitution. The reason for this isn’t exactly clear, but it’s probably because barber shops and salons are almost the same. Salons are usually associated with women, which could have been disguised as brothels. And the already famous barber’s sign would have been used to promote the brothel’s lineup of women.

Barber pole

In its early days, the barber’s pole was composed of a staff with bandages wrapped around it. The thing is, barbers didn’t just cut hair in the Middle Ages. They also acted as surgeons and dentists. In Europe, patients would hold the staff so that the veins in their arms would stand out. The surgeon can then put leeches on that part of the arm to extract blood. Bandages were used to stop the bleeding. When the procedure was done, the bandages were often hung onto the pole and left outside to dry. Incidentally, they also served to let people know of the surgeon’s presence. Due to the wind’s influence, the bandages would wrap around the pole. As a result, they form a stripe consisting of red and white colors. This became the foundation of the modern barber pole, complete with lights and spinning mechanisms.

In the United States, the barber pole with red, white and blue stripes are more common than the one with only red and white stripes. People say that red symbolizes the blood, white indicates the bandage and blue suggests the veins. The organization of colors was established during the early 13th century in Paris. Barbers were classified as academic surgeons of the long robe and barber surgeons of the short robe. Barber surgeons usually handled soldiers. They were also often seen providing medical assistance to monarchs and wealthy people. To distinguish between the two groups, they were required to use the different colors of the pole. One group would use red and white while the other would use blue.

The Minnesota-based William Marvy Company has been selling barber poles since 1950 and is now the one and only manufacturer in the US. During the heydays of the barber shop, William Marvy would sell more than 5000 poles on an annual basis. These days, it’s down to 500 per year.

Despite the decline in sales, the barber’s pole continues to be a popular symbol of the barber. www.antiquebarberchairs.net pays tribute to its long and rich history.

F. & F. Koenigkramer Barber Chairs

by Antique Collector

F & F Koenigkramer barber chairs began in the 1920’s as a result of a business partnership that turned sour. These chairs are known for having the world’s first foot-operated hydraulic lift. They were later branded as Reliance barber chairs. Although they are not the main product of the company, they were still manufactured up until the 50’s and 60’s. During that era, a lot of barber chair companies went out of business due to the arrival of Japan-based Takara Belmont Company.

F & F stands for Fred and Frank. They are sons of William Koenigkramer, a German immigrant in the 1860’s. The brothers invented a clog-free paint sprayer which became a bestseller to farmers. Fred and Frank were also really good at engineering hydraulic lifts. They were so good that the pioneering barber chair company in the United States, Eugene Berninghaus Co., later approached them and forged a deal with them so that their hydraulic lifts can be integrated into the Berninghaus barber chairs. In the 1890’s, the two sons formed F & F Koenigkramer. It was a initially machine shop business based in Cincinnati, Ohio.

FF Koenigkramer barber chair

The 1920’s was a period of adjustment for the Koenigkramer brothers. First, the partnership between fellow German, Eugene Berninghaus, did not end up well. Business was booming for Eugene, and the brothers believed that the deal wasn’t fair. As a result, the deal was off and a new competing product was formed in the name of F. & F. Koenigkramer barber chairs.

At the end of the decade, a new opportunity came. The General Optical Company commissioned the brothers to build a set of medical equipment for its exclusive use. As with most companies in the country, production was temporarily stopped during World War II. After the war, F. & F. Koenigkramer decided to classify their medical products as belonging to the product line called, “Reliance.” As has been mentioned, the barber chairs were eventually adapted into it.

Due to intense competition, the company ultimately focused on medical equipment under the name, Reliance Medical Equipment. At this point, Koken Barber’s Supply Co. was purchased by Takara Belmont Co., and Emil J. Paidar Co. did not have the largest market share anymore in the barber’s supply business. In 1988, a company based in Bern, Switzerland acquired Reliance. Today, Haag-Streit AG has its manufacturing operations in Mason, Ohio. The same facility also houses the marketing department of Reliance and other sister companies.