Eli5. How did a red white and blue spiral pole become synonymous for barber shops?

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Eli5. How did a red white and blue spiral pole become synonymous for barber shops?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Here in Denmark barbers had to function as emergency rooms for the general population until somewhat before WW1.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Here in Denmark barbers had to function as emergency rooms for the general population until somewhat before WW1.

Anonymous 0 Comments

One thing that has not been mentioned yet: the reason the barber pole is prominent, and the reason the three balls of a pawn shop logo are prominent, is as a sign for clientele who were not literate. Nowadays that is less important.

Anonymous 0 Comments

One thing that has not been mentioned yet: the reason the barber pole is prominent, and the reason the three balls of a pawn shop logo are prominent, is as a sign for clientele who were not literate. Nowadays that is less important.

Anonymous 0 Comments

It’s been mentioned other places but barbers used to wear many hats, especially in more rural areas depending on the skills of the man they apprenticed under, practical surgery rather than book learning doctor stuff. They did everything from hair, shaving, leeching, bloodletting, circumcision, stitches, setting broken bones, amputations, prosthetics, dentistry, undertaker services (for when any of the rest goes wrong). The pole was a sign to the illiterate townsfolk, here’s where you get all the bloody services much like a big horseshoe indicates the blacksmith, a boot for the cobbler (shoemaker), or big scissors and thread shows you a tailor shop.

Anonymous 0 Comments

It’s been mentioned other places but barbers used to wear many hats, especially in more rural areas depending on the skills of the man they apprenticed under, practical surgery rather than book learning doctor stuff. They did everything from hair, shaving, leeching, bloodletting, circumcision, stitches, setting broken bones, amputations, prosthetics, dentistry, undertaker services (for when any of the rest goes wrong). The pole was a sign to the illiterate townsfolk, here’s where you get all the bloody services much like a big horseshoe indicates the blacksmith, a boot for the cobbler (shoemaker), or big scissors and thread shows you a tailor shop.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Interesting, I had learned long ago it was from leaching, which barbers did as a treatment for many common ailments.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Interesting, I had learned long ago it was from leaching, which barbers did as a treatment for many common ailments.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Just for the record, in my experience at least (I’m in my late 60s), the traditional barber-surgeon’s pole in the UK is red and white. Red for blood, white for bandages is how I was taught it. Image searches largely support that. I’m not saying that you won’t see blue, but it feels like a recent/US addition.

(Just asked my wife what colour a barber’s pole is. Without prompting: “Red and white”. So it’s not just me.)

Anonymous 0 Comments

Just for the record, in my experience at least (I’m in my late 60s), the traditional barber-surgeon’s pole in the UK is red and white. Red for blood, white for bandages is how I was taught it. Image searches largely support that. I’m not saying that you won’t see blue, but it feels like a recent/US addition.

(Just asked my wife what colour a barber’s pole is. Without prompting: “Red and white”. So it’s not just me.)