Sold: Barber Pole

Barber’s trade sign / painted wood with iron mount / c. 1880s

Antique turned and painted wooden barber pole, c. late 19th century. The red and white barber pole advertised more than a haircut in the nineteenth century. Barbers performed bloodletting as a standard service, and the pole’s red stripe possibly represented blood and the white, bandages. This example retains its original old paint and surface — a rarity, given these are often stripped and repainted. Many “antique” barber poles on the market are actually doctored and painted newel posts or other repurposed architectural features. Turned expressly as trade sign, this antique barber pole is guaranteed authentic.

Good antique condition, with an old split down one side and surface patina.

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