barber pole

a pole with red and white spiral stripes symbolizing the barber's former sideline of surgery.

Origin of barber pole

First recorded in 1675–85

The red letters of "Votes for Women" ran around her diagonally like the stripes of a barber-pole.

Affinities and Other Stories |Mary Roberts Rinehard
The barber-pole and the Indian at the cigar shops were features of that day, as well.

A Little Girl in Old New York |Amanda Millie Douglas
But Uncle Wiggily hit the bad bird with his barber-pole crutch, and the hawk flew away, flopping his wings and tail.

Uncle Wiggily's Travels |Howard R. Garis
Then he looked up at the man on the barber-pole, and he was shivering too.

Seven O'Clock Stories |Robert Gordon Anderson

So he laid aside his valise and barber-pole crutch and got ready to go down in the hole, which wasn't very big.

Uncle Wiggily's Travels |Howard R. Garis