If you own a vintage Koken, do not rely on memory. Write down the serial number and stamp it into a piece of metal or wood attached to the chair's underside.
What make up the main body? (all wood, wood and porcelain, or all porcelain/metal?) What exact words or dates are stamped on the footrest? Does the lift mechanism use a lever or a pedal ? Share public link vintage koken barber chair serial number list
, with models dating from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century regularly fetching anywhere from $2,100 to over $12,500 on platforms like 1stDibs . Founded by Ernest Koken in St. Louis, Missouri, the company revolutionized the grooming industry by patenting the first hydraulic-operated chair and the iconic "joystick" side lever in 1892. Because official, fully comprehensive factory logs were lost when the original business closed, determining the exact age of a piece relies heavily on a vintage Koken barber chair serial number list reconstruction combined with physical design clues. If you own a vintage Koken, do not rely on memory
| Observed Serial Number(s) | Known Date / Notes | | :--- | :--- | | | Identified by the owner as likely a 1930s Koken model 530, awaiting restoration. | | A217419 | Widely estimated to be from the 1940s or 1950s , but often cited as transitional (late 1930s) in design. | | 181132 | User on an antique forum seeks information. Features porcelain and cast iron with manual mechanics. | (all wood, wood and porcelain, or all porcelain/metal