What do you know about the history of salon furniture? Or the history of barber shops in America? The Salon and Spa Museum, in Fort Worth, is a fascinating look at the barber and salon history, a side-trip well-worth taking if you are a history buff.
You really should come visit us. We are located at 5208 Airport Freeway, in Fort Worth, within the Salon & Spa Galleria. Contact us for more information, call (817) 823-7105.
Now, about that museum . . .
Did you know that the first barbers can be traced back to the Bronze Age, circa 3500 BC, in Europe? Razors dating back that far have been found among other relics, like cutting and combing instruments made from oyster shells and sharpened flint. In those early civilizations, “barbers” were highly respected individuals in society, and quite often they were priests and men of medicine who also served as barbers. Barbering and “shave art” where a way to distinguish roles in society and during war. In Ancient Greece, men would have their beards and hair trimmed and styled in the market place.
Barbering then spread to other continents and other cultures including the Mayan, Aztec, Vikings, Mongolian, and Iroquois, and across Europe to the Ancient Romans. In Rome, barbershops soon became a place for gathering and gossiping, and trips to the barber and the public bath became daily routines for many men, and women, in Rome. In fact, a man’s first shave became a symbol of his aging and was considered an important aging ritual/ceremony.
Moving on to the Middle Ages and barbering . . .
Barbers in the Middle Ages oftentimes served, too, as surgeons and dentists. You could go to a barber and not only have your hair cut but also have surgery performed, bloodletting, or have a tooth pulled. The “experts” were called barber surgeons during that time. How about you? Can you imagine having your barber or hair stylist doing minor surgery on you? Absolutely fascinating!
And in the United States . . .
Interestingly, at the beginning of the 19th Century, in the United States, barbershops were mostly run by African Americans, and they were important meeting places which helped to develop the African American culture. At first the black barbers served mostly rich white men, but by the middle of that century the black barbershop was becoming an important meeting place for blacks.
Interesting? We think so, and we believe our Salon and Spa Museum will be fascinating to you. We offer a wide variety of old barber chairs, miscellaneous barber, vintage hair dryers, and styling equipment, and haircutting signs and paintings. It is a trip through the past and a look at an integral part of our society many people do not know about or think about.
About our museum . . .
Back in 1880, a hair cut would cost five or ten cents, which is more expensive than our museum, which is free to the public. Call for more information, and be sure to put our museum on your to do list for a fun family outing. We would love to meet you and dazzle you with a bit of history.
