Chateau Laurier Barber Shop

Other Events and Attributes:

• City Directories: 1949, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

A Rich History: The Barber's Chair from the Chateau Laurier

By Grant Vogl, Collections and Exhibitions Manager

The Bytown Museum continues to acquire new pieces of
our cultural history through the generosity of our donors.
Featured here is our newest acquisition, a beautiful Theo
A. Koch barber's chair, which was kindly donated to our
collection by Robert Morvan. This unique artefact holds a
great many stories, and is a truly fascinating piece of
Ottawa history.

Purchased by the Château Laurier Barber Shop around
1912 for a whopping $75.00, this Koch's "one-lever
hydraulic barber's chair" served as the seat of politicians,
soldiers, and businessmen. This beautiful and ornate
piece features quarter-sawn oak, nickel-plated steel
flourishes, and a plush leather seat stuffed with horsehair.
Fully adjustable, the chair's hydraulics remain in working
order, and it was donated in excellent condition along
with two original leather strops.

The history of the Barber Shop at the Château is full of
famous names and faces; both Prime Ministers Mackenzie
King and Louis St. Laurent visited the shop weekly for a
cut and shave. It is as yet unclear how long this chair
remained in use at the Château before becoming part of
the private collection of barber Vincent Boileau, who cut
hair at the Château for 33 years, and later Mr. Morvan,
but further research may reveal just how rich the story of
this chair truly is.
A RECENT ACQUISITION
Weiss & Son,
Surgical Tools of Dr. H.P. Hill
, 1834, wood, metal and
ivory, Bytown Museum, 1982.125.01. (Photo; Bytown Museum)
Theo. A. Kochs Company,
Barber's Chair,
c. 1912,
oak, leather and steel, Bytown Museum,
E2011.002.01. (Photo: Bytown Museum)

City Directories:
Chateau Laurier
Rideau Street
Ottawa, On.