Vintage Electric Fans
07.25.06 By Lorraine Newberry
It’s hot, humid and hazy outside which has me thinking about ways people stayed cool without air conditioning (and thanking my lucky stars that I have it). Several old folks were interviewed during a brutal heat wave in Chicago a few years back and told how when they were children the whole city would carry blankets and pillows to city parks and camp on the shores of Lake Michigan, taking advantage of the cool night breezes coming off the lake. That’s, uh, not recommended these days. Since heat rises, homes were built with high ceilings so that the rest of the room would remain cooler. People sat on breezy front porches and grew shade trees in the yard. People swam in creeks, lakes and ponds. Then there were electric fans, which have been around for well over a century already.
The first electric fans were produced in the United States in 1882 by a company called Crocker & Curtis. The early fans were heavy, loud and so costly that only the wealthy and businesses could afford to purchase them. In time more companies, such as Westinghouse and General Electric, began manufacturing electric fans and the design improved. In the 1920s improvements in production methods brought the price of electric fans down and made them more accessible to the average consumer. Early fans tended to be simple, functional affairs, but in the 30s fan makers jumped on the Art Deco bandwagon and began producing decorative fans. In the 50s fans were made in a rainbow of colors. As the popularity of air conditioning grew the demand for fans dropped and today’s fans are once again more functional than decorative.
Collectors prize fans with blades made from brass, and if the fan comes with the original box it’s a bonus. A fan that works is more desirable than a comparable non-working fan. Emerson, Gilbert, Robbins & Myers, Diehl, Peerless and Eck are more names to look for when collecting vintage fans.
The quality of the old fans is such that many of the early models still work today, but to be safe it’s best to have them rewired by a professional electrician before using them on a regular basis. Keep in mind, however, that making any alterations to the original condition will bring down the value. Also, the safety guards we take for granted today were not used on early fans, so fans with exposed blades must be kept away from curious little ones.
To learn more visit: http://www.fancollectors.org/
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Article Tags: Crocker & Curtis, electric, fan, GE, vintage, Westinghouse================
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