History of the Barber's Chair Patent

This item is a staple in every barbershop and hasn’t changed in over 100 years.

 

Barber chairs have been around for over century and a half, with some depictions dating back to the civil war era. However, they didn’t rise to prominence until the turn of the 20th century when Ernest Koken invented the basic chair design.

Old Barber's Chair

In 1900, Koken went on to design a genius hydraulic mechanism that allowed barbers to quickly control all of the chair’s movements. Koken Hydraulic Barber Chair became a massive success, gracing barber shops throughout the US. Unfortunately, Ernest Koken passed away in 1909 due to heart failure, but his son, Walter, guided the Koken Barber’s Supply Company to become the largest of its kind in the US.

Koken Barber's Chair

Walter Koken followed in his father's footsteps and patented many chair designs including the one below. In 1915, Walter Koken created this ornamental design with the back, seat, apron, and footrest shaped like a shield.

 

Sadly, the Koken company was forced into bankruptcy in the 1960s with the emergence of low-price competitors, but their chairs remain a popular collectors item today.

Check out the patent

Barber's Chair Patent


You may also like

View all