: Many models have numbers molded directly into the cast iron of the base or near the hydraulic pump.
: This is the most common location. You may need to remove the seat cushion or flip the chair carefully to find a stamped number on the wood frame or the metal base plate. vintage koken barber chair serial number list
Before you can date your chair, you must locate the stamped identifier. Koken typically placed these numbers in consistent locations: : Many models have numbers molded directly into
While there is no single, publicly accessible master "serial number list" for vintage Koken barber chairs today—as many factory records from the original St. Louis-based Koken Barbers Supply Company were lost when it went out of business in the 1950s—serial numbers remain the most reliable way to estimate a chair's production era when used alongside stylistic cues. Collectors typically cross-reference these numbers with known patent years and historical sales records to date their pieces. Before you can date your chair, you must
: Be careful not to confuse casting numbers (e.g., "52CB") with serial numbers . Casting numbers are part identifiers used during manufacturing and are shared by all chairs of that specific model, whereas serial numbers are unique sequential identifiers. Koken Barber Chair Timeline & Serial Ranges