: Look at the underside or inner lip of the decorative metal footrest (often near model numbers like "505KO" or "25-N1"). đź“… The Koken Barber Chair Serial Number Chronology List
Do not confuse patent dates with serial numbers. Many Koken chairs have a patent date stamped on them (e.g., PAT. JAN 5, 1892 ). That is the date the mechanism was patented, not the date your chair was built.
Look for stamped digits on the very bottom base plate or the pedestal. Identification Plate:
If the serial number is missing or illegible, stylistic features can narrow the date: vintage koken barber chair serial number list
Beyond serial numbers, specific mechanical and design shifts help verify the age of your chair: Key Features
⚠️ Note: Koken was acquired/sold in the late 1960s; serial numbers after 1970 are rare and often unverifiable.
If you want to pin down the exact history of your chair, I can help you decode the details. Tell me: : Look at the underside or inner lip
Stamped directly into the metal seat frame or onto the wood plate under the cushion. Iron Base Casting:
Restoring a Koken chair is a labor of love. The process often involves complete disassembly, sandblasting and replating of steel parts, and reupholstering. One restorer of 18 chairs notes the joy of bringing these "works of art and engineering back to life". Common mechanical issues include hydraulic systems that fail to hold a chair's height, often requiring cleaning or part replacement.
Early models often featured mahogany or walnut wood armrests, while later ones might have white porcelain or metal armrests. JAN 5, 1892 )
: Chairs without a hydraulic lift system almost certainly date to before 1892 , when Ernest Koken patented the hydraulic lift.
Mid-century styles; final years of independent Koken production.
: Look for Art Deco sharp lines for the 1920s–30s models, or more rounded, minimalist mid-century designs for the 1950s.
While exact year-by-year factory records are rare, experts and collectors use the following approximate ranges to date Koken chairs: Serial Number Range Estimated Production Era Key Design Characteristics c. 1895 – 1905