1884 Theo. Kochs Barber Supply Catalog

Not sure is anyone has seen this before but it is a 1884 catalog from Theo. A Kochs in Chicago featuring barber supplies. There are several other catalogs at the website.

What is really interesting is the furniture in the front of the catalog plus the mugs. If you are looking for a huge selection of soaps - sorry - just 6 choices total.

https://archive.org/details/pricelistbarbers00koch

Thanks for sharing the link.

That was really cool to look through. Only $50 for a wooden, carved, and veneered cabinet!! $1 per straight for 7/8 Wade & Butcher if you buy a dozen! Prices were making me drool...

Very, very cool little catalogue to look through. Thank you for sharing!

That was really cool to look through. Only $50 for a wooden, carved, and veneered cabinet!! $1 per straight for 7/8 Wade & Butcher if you buy a dozen! Prices were making me drool...

Very, very cool little catalogue to look through. Thank you for sharing!

A huge +1 on this.  Chris, did you get a gander at the prices for hones and strops?!  (Of course, there is a downside.  From what I found on the internet, the average weekly salary for a laborer was $8.10 up to $15.54 for a blacksmith, whose services would have been much in demand at that time.  Remember that's weekly and not hourly.  It suddenly puts things into perspective, doesn't it? )

The prices are amazing but like Freddy said the wages were equivalent to the low prices.  A common labor had to wor 7 hours to afford a straight razor.

Look at the 1888 Kochs catalog, they have color plates and expanded the offerings.  Check out the Grind Shop and prices.