, such as these in the Antique Warehouse Collection, have been around since the early 1900's.  However it was in the mid-1800's that barber chairs first began to differentiate from a standard dining room chair.  It was then that barber chairs began to slightly recline, have padded upholstery, and foot rests.  Later on in the 1870's chairs became more modernized, with the ability to fully recline, swivel 360 degrees, and raise and lower with the use of hydraulics.  Many of the chairs sold were vary ornate, but they were still constructed out of wood.  It was not until the turn of the century, called the Transitional Period (around 1895 through 1915), that chairs were constructed out of cast iron and porcelain. 

     There are many different styles and manufactures of barber chairs.  Most of the AW Collection consists of Koken Barber Chairs.  Koken was a St. Louis, based company founded in 1874.  The Antique Warehouse is currently displaying seven barber chairs, and have another four waiting restoration.  Six of the seven on display were manufactured Koken and the other by Melchior Brothers, which was a Chicago based company.  All four of the chairs waiting restoration were produced by Koken and are of the President line of barber equipment.  Click on the images below to be taken to the Barber Chair page where you can learn all about each individual chair.

Jones, Christian.  Barber Shop, 1998.