Serial Number List — Vintage Koken Barber Chair
Koken Barber Chair Serial Number Reference
To identify the age of a vintage Koken barber chair, you can cross-reference the stamped serial number against known production runs. While exact annual records are rare, the following sequence provides a reliable ballpark for manufacturing years. Serial Number Range Estimated Production Era Key Era Developments 10,000 – 25,000 c. 1895 – 1905 Introduction of first hydraulic models (1892 patent) 25,001 – 50,000 c. 1906 – 1915 Expansion into high-volume production 50,001 – 85,000 c. 1916 – 1925 Transition to ornate oak and cast iron designs 85,001 – 125,000 c. 1926 – 1935 Opening of the Koken Foundry (1926) for mass production 125,001 – 175,000 c. 1936 – 1945 Art Deco influence and wartime production shifts 175,001 – 225,000 c. 1946 – 1955 Post-war manufacturing before company closure 225,001 and higher c. 1956 – 1960s Final production before the Koken name was sold How to Find Your Serial Number
- Koken Manufacturing Company archives
- Vintage barber chair collector communities
- Online marketplaces and forums
Era Identification Guide
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 vintage koken barber chair serial number list
Common Restoration Notes
1,000 – 9,999:
c. 1885 – 1888 (Introduction of swiveling features). Koken Barber Chair Serial Number Reference To identify
Koken Serial Number Chronology
Dating a vintage Koken barber chair is a blend of locating a physical serial number and analyzing mechanical "generational" markers. While no single public master list exists from the original factory, collectors and appraisers use the following recognized ranges to estimate production years. Era Identification Guide patented in 1892
- Very early cast-iron frames, simple reclining mechanisms.
- Serial numbers: often low 4–5 digit ranges; many chairs predate systematic serialing — dating often by patent plates and maker marks instead.