Barber Shop Price List

Date1940

Mediumwood

Dimensions12 × 16 × 1/8 in. (30.5 × 40.6 × 0.3 cm)

ClassificationsDocumentary Artifact

Credit LineAlbuquerque Museum, gift of Mr. & Mrs. Everett Hart

Object numberPC1985.66.4

DescriptionThis faded brown price list from a barber store in Albuquerque, dated 1940, provides a glimpse into the era's personal grooming services and costs. The top features bold black text reading "Price List," framed below by two orange lines. The neatly arranged services, such as Hair Cut, Children's Hair Cut, Children's hair cut (on Saturday), Shave, Shampoo (plain), Glovers (treatment), Dix Oil, Massage (plain), Boncilla (Mud Pack), Tonic, Steam, Singe, and Bath, are listed with prices in cents aligned by dotted lines. Now more unknown, the Glovers treatment, Dix Oil, and Boncilla mud pack are the most expensive services at 1 dollar. Glovers treatment involves using hair from the mane of a specific breed of horse to offer hair growth and scalp health, dix oil was specific form of treatment to groom and style hair, and the boncilla brand's mud pack was part of a growth of cosmetics after the 1920s. The text is clear but shows signs of age, with slight fading in places. The lower section includes diagonal text noting the store's hours: 7am to 6pm on weekdays and 7am to 7pm on Saturday. A handwritten annotation, now faint, indicates a previous schedule of 8am to 7pm on weekdays, highlighting a historical adjustment in operating hours. The list’s hanging hole at the top has torn through, leaving a jagged tear. Two thin blue lines run vertically along the left and right edges, subtly framing the content. This simple yet functional document showcases barber shop advertisements but also everyday expectations for beauty care in 1940s Albuquerque.

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