There are a number of items in the Antique Warehouse Collection related to the Barber Shop category, all of which will be focused on in this months Featured Item(s).  The majority of the items in the collection are barber poles and barber chairs, while there are a few other accessories and books in the collection as well. 

     Barber Poles, likely one of the most recognizable trade symbols, have evolved from simple, "bloodstained white cloth dressings which hung to dry outside barbers' doorways centuries ago when barbers were referred to as 'Chirurgens.'  In those times, academic physicians and barbers alike shared some medical duties and belonged to the same surgeons guild."  Many have heard the stories that barbers performed surgical procedures, bloodletting, and tooth extraction, in addition to cutting hair and shaving their clients.  Eventually, the two guilds were split by King George II in 1745, requiring surgeons to display red and white poles while barbers displayed blue and white poles.  By the 1870's in America the red stripe found its way back onto barber poles, as a "wave of patriotism surrounded the Centennial of 1776."  From the 1890's up through 1915, a number of poles were produced in a variety of shapes and sizes.  The traditional wood pole made way for sheet metal and cast iron poles, followed by the long lasting porcelain covered cast iron poles, which eventually became the standard.

    The other major category related to barber shop items, which are highly collectable, are barber chairs.  Not much is known about the history of barber chairs, but there are four main era's in which the style of chairs has changed.  The four era's include the "Mid-1800's Period" (1850-1880), "Late Victorian Period" (1880-1900), "Transitional Period" (about 1895-1915), and the "20th Century" (1915-1950).  Before the 1850's, most barber chairs were not so different than a typical dinning room chair.  They may have had fixed position head rests, or have been slightly taller, but for the most part, were not that dissimilar. 

     From the 1850's on, barber chairs did start to show more mechanical functionality, being made specifically for barber shops, which starts the "Mid-1800's Period."  These chairs usually were crafted out of wood, with backs that would recline a few degrees, and by the end of the period, would recline fully.  However these chairs did not raise or lower, and did not swivel.  Many of the chairs also had some sort of foot stool.

     The "Late Victorian Period" saw many advanced changes.  While the chairs were still made from wood, they were built with hydraulics, allowing them to raise and lower, along with being able to swivel 360 degrees, in addition to being able to fully recline.  This era of chair started to look very elegant as well, being, "plush covered and highly ornate with wood, fabric, and trim materials of a wide selection.  Style was important during this period as most chairs had fancy hand carvings or similar embellishments."

     The "Transitional Period" saw changes in the types of materials used to fabricate the base of the chairs, changing from wood to heavy duty porcelain covered cast iron.  While the chair itself would still have been constructed out of wood with all of the amenities of the previous period.

     The "20th Century" model chairs found manufacturers producing all porcelain covered cast iron chairs and bases.  These manufacturers learned that they could produce all porcelain cover cast iron chairs for less than the cost of wooden chairs.  However, it took quite some time for the chairs to become popular, as the barbers liked their wooden chairs.  Eventually with the threat of communicable disease breakouts in that period, customers started demanding the clean, white, washable look of porcelain. 

     There are a number of different collectable antique accessories and other items associated with barber shops, including backbars, display cases, sinks, coat racks, razors, scissors, shaving mugs, barber bottles, combs, signs, advertising, and the list goes on and on.  Several of these items are included in the Antique Warehouse Collection.  The entire Barber Shop collection can be viewed by clicking on any of the images below.