Serial Number List - Vintage Koken Barber Chair
Vintage Koken Barber Chair — Serial Number Guide
Overview
Koken (J.T. Fisher & Co. later Koken Barber Supply Co.) manufactured barber chairs from the late 19th century through the mid-20th century. Collectors and restorers use serial numbers and features to date chairs, identify models, and verify originality. This guide summarizes key serial-number ranges, model traits, dating tips, and restoration/identification advice for vintage Koken barber chairs.
: The most frequent location, stamped on the underside of the wood or the metal seat frame. The iron base casting vintage koken barber chair serial number list
Cross-reference with catalogs (available via vintage barber supply forums). Vintage Koken Barber Chair — Serial Number Guide
- Art Deco simplification; improved reclining & footrest linkages; Koken trademark plates appear more consistently.
- Serial numbers: commonly 6 digits; sometimes stamped on base or arm casting.
The Myth vs. Reality: Does a Complete Serial Number List Exist?
Let’s address the elephant in the restoration garage immediately. There is no publicly available, comprehensive, decade-by-decade “Koken barber chair serial number list” like you would find for a classic car or a Winchester rifle. The Myth vs
patented in 1892. Because precise factory ledgers are rare, collectors rely on approximate serial number ranges and design features to date these pieces. Finding the Serial Number
While there is no single, publicly accessible master "serial number list" for vintage Koken barber chairs today—as many factory records from the original St. Louis-based Koken Barbers Supply Company were lost when it went out of business in the 1950s—serial numbers remain the most reliable way to estimate a chair's production era when used alongside stylistic cues. Collectors typically cross-reference these numbers with known patent years and historical sales records to date their pieces. How to Find Your Koken Serial Number
“My serial number is just ‘Patented’ – is it a fake?”
No. Early Koken chairs (pre-1905) often only had the patent date. They considered inventory tracking less important than protecting their IP. These are often the most valuable.