Number List [portable]: Vintage Koken Barber Chair Serial

Look for a number stamped into the metal frame beneath the seat plate. The base plate: Occasionally found on the metal iron base casting.

Do you have a or a photo of the footrest logo you'd like to identify? Determine Koken Chair Age by Serial Number - Expert Guide vintage koken barber chair serial number list

Before Koken, barber chairs were largely static or relied on crude ratcheting mechanisms for reclining. Ernest Koken, a creative genius and inventor, changed the game forever. His most significant contribution was the hydraulic lift base. By utilizing a hydraulic jack system similar to those found in car repair shops, Koken allowed barbers to effortlessly raise, lower, and recline clients with a few pumps of a foot pedal or a flick of a lever. Look for a number stamped into the metal

Do not restore a vintage Koken until you have run its serial number past the community. A rare pre-1910 model with original japanning (black lacquer) is worth more than a poorly re-chromed one. Use the "list" to know what you have before you pick up the sandblaster. Determine Koken Chair Age by Serial Number -

While not a serial number, many Koken chairs have "cast dates" stamped into the underside of the heavy cast iron components. These appear as month/year formats (e.g., "6-42" for June 1942). If the data plate is gone, these cast dates can help you narrow down the age within a year or two.

By the 1920s, Koken was the industry leader, producing chairs that were not just functional tools but works of art. They featured heavy cast iron frames plated in chrome, porcelain enamel bases, and upholstery made from high-grade leather or the newly popular "Barcalounger" vinyl.