The chair is the foundation of the barber shop. There your guest rests and enjoys the services you offer him. That's where the living history of your store unfolds, that's where the most beautiful stories will be told. However, the chair itself has a nice story to tell. Do you want to know it?

The first industrially produced barber chairs date back to around 1850. The first reclining chair with an attached footrest was patented in 1878 by the Archer Company. Next, Archer created a chair that raised and lowered mechanically.

Eugene Berninghaus improved this design even further by creating the first swivel chair, the famous Paragon. And finally, came Theodore Koch of Chicago, who incorporated all these innovations into his own chairs, selling over 35,000 pieces before 1885.

By the late 1950s, American companies were selling over 100,000 chairs a year, to 10,000 barbershops. The Emil J. Paidar company was one of the most profitable at the time. A few years later, in 1957, the Japanese company Takara Belmont began manufacturing faithful copies of Paidar chairs (at significantly reduced costs) and began to take the buying public on their side. At the same time, Ernest Koken, a German-born engineer who made barber chairs in the USA, invented the hydraulic seat movement system at the beginning of the century, winning with it a large part of the market.

To summarize: We are in the first half of the 20th century, in an era that is considered "golden" for barber's chairs. At the time, there were three major competing companies: Belmont, Emil J. Paidar and Koken. Which one would win?

Emil J. Paidar

The Emil J. Paidar Company had been making chairs since 1900. The company was based in Chicago and was a competitor to Koken, as the two monopolized the market at the time. The company had interesting chairs in its catalog. The Duo-Hydralic Barber Chair was also known as the longest-lasting chair. In essence, it was a variant of the Koken hydraulic chair, but with obvious improvements.

The Great Depression in the 1930s was very difficult for the barbershop business in the United States. Despite shrinking orders, the top two companies still went head-to-head, fighting for customer loyalty. During World War II, demand for equipment skyrocketed. In the end, sales failed not because the soldiers didn't need haircuts, but because orders for toolboxes and cartridge cases were more urgent.

In 1957, new competitor Takara Belmont entered the game, with chairs that were copies of Paidar. Copying didn't seem to be a deterrent to the public, as what interested her customers were the lower prices of the Japanese chair. Paidar and Koken began to lose sales and eventually this led them to appeal to the government to increase the import tax on Belmont chairs, since they were then being imported from Japan. However, the appeal was not heard! Paidar was outgrown and eventually closed. Today Paidar chairs are considered vintage classics and sell for dearly at auctions.

Koken

Koken chairs are loved by collectors because of their unique style and quality. In their golden age they were considered works of art, since they were the first hydraulic chairs with easy handling. Their technology was not only practical for barbers, but also for customers. They were the perfect chairs for work.

For the hydraulic system of business chairs today, we have the German engineer Ernst Koken to thank. When he died in 1907, his son Walter took over the management of the Koken factory. Some time later the company was the first in sales in the area, as it sold not only chairs, but also brushes, razors, falsettos, mirrors and many other tools for barbers.

The decline of cocaine came in the 1950s due to fierce competition. There were plenty of companies claiming to have the same or better features at a lower price. At that time Takara Belmont acquired Koken, along with its patents. To this day, Koken is still supported by Takara Belmont. In 2011, they released the Koken Legacy Barber Chair together with a price tag starting at $4,700. Koken antiques are even more expensive as fully restored chairs sell for as much as $7,000.

Takara Belmont

Belmont chairs have been around since the early 20's^u century. They are famous for their elegant aesthetics, but also for their affordable price. Their manufacturer, Takara Belmont, has been leading the field since 1960.

Belmont begins its history in Japan. The man behind this famous product was Hidenobu Yoshikawa. In 1931, Belmont began production of barber chairs and twenty years later produced its first hydraulic chair. The company did very well in sales and expanded to America. Within five years he opened a branch in London.

Of the three companies, only Belmont exists today, having managed to cope with the new trends.

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Many antique chairs are considered works of art

You can find them in antique shops, but more easily on the internet. Their value depends on many factors and some of them are the construction techniques and materials, the date of release on the market, but also if a famous person sat on it! Another factor is the number of production pieces of the chair or if it was a special order. For example, Koken's “Barber Chair Terminal” was specially commissioned in 1930 by a chain of American barbershops that opened shops in train stations. Only four of the chairs were eventually made, and today they sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction.

THE MAINTENANCE

1. The correct seat of the chair is made in such a way and with such materials that the hair is easily removed. With the hair dryer, remove the hair after each service and once a week you must clean the upholstery with hot water and soap. Never apply hard products and varnish.
2. The hydraulic system is the most important part of the chair. The annual service is necessary, because the system is used every day and can easily get stuck. Checking-up your chair once a year will reduce the chances of damage and keep your work tool in excellent condition.
3. In addition to being functional, the chair must also be impressive. Apply special varnish to the metal parts and wipe with a soft dry cloth. This will give the chrome its sparkling shine as well as remove any corrosion.
4. You take frequent glances at your chairs. Some mechanisms are loose and maybe some parts need replacing before more damage is done.
5. Turn to the experts and use genuine spare parts.

Source:

https://www.thebmag.gr/2020/10/25/barber-tool-the-history-of-barber-chair/#more-13495