When we think of the early distribution of electricity in North America in the 1880s, we tend to picture homes of the well-to-do suddenly being illuminated at night by Thomas Edison’s incandescent light bulbs. That’s vision is accurate enough, but just below “light” at the top of the new electricity-consumer’s wish list was “air,” which was delivered via electric motors that spun pie-slice-shaped brass blades, stirring and circulating the air within what had been stagnant rooms.

Some of the first fans were made by companies run by Charles Crocker, who owned partnerships in Curtis & Crocker and Crocker-Wheeler. These fans were hardly what we’d call “child-safe” today. Their blades, which spun at upwards of 1,600 revolution per minute, were uncaged, while their direct-current, or DC, electrical connections were exposed, producing shocks if touched even when the fans were not running. Later, cages were added around the blades, but this radical step was taken protect the blades, not curious fingers.

Edison, whose Edison Illuminating Company sent power throughout lower Manhattan, was a self-interested proponent of DC, but many of his earliest electrical fans were battery-powe...

Competitors to Crocker and Edison manufactured fans that ran on alternating current, or AC, powered by induction motors engineered by Nikola Tesla. Westinghouse was the first company to put Tesla’s motor’s into its fans, which featured four teardrop-shaped, caged blades. Emerson was another early adopter of AC; its blades are distinctive for their irregular kidney shape. And as motors got smaller, thanks mostly to reductions in the size of the wire used inside them, fans got less bulky, with side-view profiles resembling a short stack of pancakes, for which these fans are named.

A cousin to the electric fan was the kerosene fan, which was popular in rural areas where electricity was uncommon. These floor fans stood on wrought-iron bases and featured kerosene engines, some made by Stirling, whose heat rotated the fan’s blades, which in turn generated a cooling breeze. Jost was one manufacturer of kerosene fans, as was Lake Breeze Motor, which also made alcohol-burning desk fans.

By World War I, companies such as Menominee, General Electric, Western Electric, Eck Dynamo & Motor, Robbins & Myers, and Colonial were manufacturing oscillating and stationary electric desk fans. Brass, which was needed for ammunition, was replaced by steel and eventually aluminum, which allowed manufacturers to create lighter blades. While General Electric had pioneered the use of overlapping blades to create a quieter fan, Emerson designer Jane Evans used aluminum for its beauty, creating, in 1932, the Silver Swan, whose rounded, overlapping blades suggested the feathered profiles of a flock of the beautiful birds.

Other electric manufacturers from the middle of the 20th century include Gilbert, which had its own version of Emerson’s Silver Swan; Samson, which made an uncaged fan whose four blades were made of rubber; and Fitzgerald, whose streamline moderne motor housings suggested torpedoes or futuristic space ships.

About our sources | Got something to add?

▼ Expand to read the full article ▼

Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Early Office Museum

Early Office Museum

This site showcases pre-1920 office antiques, including paperweights, writing ink, paper fasteners, seal pressers, … [read review or visit site]

Alloy Artifacts

Alloy Artifacts

A tool collectors’ dream, this site is a deep repository of photos and info on 20th century hand tools and the co… [read review or visit site]

Old Woodworking Machines

Old Woodworking Machines

This collective website, which started as an online discussion forum, now also includes a large database of manufac… [read review or visit site]

Drainspotting

Drainspotting

Josh and Cam Larios have created this site enabling people to upload and 'tag' photos of historic or artistic manho… [read review or visit site]

A Millers Falls Home Page

A Millers Falls Home Page

Randy Roeder has carved out a niche for himself with his fine website devoted to the history of the Millers Falls C… [read review or visit site]



Clubs & Associations: Tools and Hardware

Discussion Forums: Tools and Hardware

Top eBay Auctions

Showing 60. See all 117 by  highest bidmost watchedcompleted
Old, Interesting Cast Iron Westinghouse Double Fan W/6 Blades Lighting Fixture?Art Deco Emerson Electric Antique Electric Fan RestoredAntique Diehl Man. Co. Style Ry56 30 Volt Pullman Railroad Car Electric FanVintage Ge Aou Loop Handle 16" Brass Blade Oscillating Fan Cat. Number 75425Electric Ercole Marelli & Co Oscilating Ventilator Fan , Very Large. Vintage - Chrome - Emerson FanAntique Ge Brass Blade & Cage Fan - Works - General Electric - 4 Blade No 330072Vintage Antique Ge Electric Fan Multi Speed Oscillating Brass Blades W/handleVintage Emerson Electric Oscilatting 12" Fan Type 29646 Works Great Parts Vintage Ge General Electric 12" Brass Fan Blade & 13" Brass Cage & StrutsVintage Old Antique Westinghouse Electric Brass 4 Blade Desk Table FanAntique Century Brass Blade + Cage Fan For Parts Or RestorationVintage Ge General Electric Automatic Metal Double Box Fan W/window BracketVintage Vornado Twin Window Turbine Fan Convertible 2 Desk Fans 32ct-1 3 SpeedHomart 20" Sears Cooler 2 Sp Heavy Duty 1/6 Hp Steel Vintage Fan Nice & Quite !Antique 1920's Emerson Electric Fan ~3 Speed ~13" OscillatingAntique Electric Ge Fan Type Aor Form V4 10 Inch Oscillating Fan18" Ge General Electric Brass & Iron 4 Blade Electric Fan Working Cond 1921-24 Antique Vintage General Electric Ge Brass Blades Oscillating 3 Speed FanVintage Colonial Oscillating 16" Brass Fan & Brass CageVintage Vornado Porcelain Enamel Machine Age 3 Speed Pink Grey Antique Table FanVtg Vornado Table/floor 2 Speed Fan # B24c1-1 Super Clean And Silent Running Vintage Electric FanVintage General Electric 10" Vortalez Oscillating FanElectric Green Aeg Peter Behrens Ventilator Fan Type Gb1 From 1908, Middle SizeAntique C1909 Peerless 3 Speed Oscillating Fan In Original Working ConditionAntique Vtg Dayton Electric Fan 16 Inch Brass Blade And Steel GuardAntique G.e. 30 Volt D.c. Electric Fan 1908 Patent 12" 3 Speed Brass Blade WorksVintage Small 6" General Electric Brass Blade Ge Table Fan Series G Works Early General Electric Ge All Brass Electric FanVintage General Electric Oscilating Fan In Fantastic ConditionVintage Vornado Fan (it Works).Super Nice 12" Brass Blade Diehl 3speed,oscillating Fan Resto! Looks+runs Great!Amc Box Fan VintageVintage Casablanca 54" Zephyr 3444t Burnished Brass Ceiling Fan Intelli-touchVtg Antique Westinghouse Electric 6 Blades Fan 164864i # 1640661 Rare Htf BlackAntique Ge Brass Blade Fan 18" Type Aou 3 Speed Oscillating General ElectricVery Nice Ge 12"brassy 3 Speed Stationary Fan.this Fan Has An Excellent Resto!!!Antique Fan Commandair 10 Inch Steam Punk CoolAntique Sterling #5300 Metal 10" Blade Fan W/ Cast Iron Industrial Base 1930' SVintage Emerson 3-speed Oscillating Parker Brass 4 Blade Fan Type 29646 1920-30sAntique 1921 A C Gilbert Polar Cub Type G Mini Fan 6" WorkingVintage Nos Emerson Jr. 2650c Oscillating 10" Fan W/ Cloverleaf BaseAntique Vintage Signal Fan Electric Industrial Floor Art Deco Jetstream 8v100 Vintage Hassock Fan By Westinghouse - Rare Colour - Space Age Retro - Very Nice Vintage Emerson Electric Oscillating Desk Fan Model 79646-ap Very Good Condition Rare Vintage Ussr-ukraine Industrial Era Table Fan Type 83-1 From 1970Vtg Galaxy 3 Speed Oscillating, Tilting 16" Fan Table Desk Electric Type 16-1Vintage Barcol Barber-coleman Company Small Electric Tabletop FanVtg Robin Egg Blue Zero 50's Oscillating Metal Table Wall Mount Electric Fan Vintage Antique Ge General Electric Desk Metal Fan Works! Catalog # Fhs107Gilbert 6 Inch Polar Cub Brass Blade Fan Not Running All Original 1921 NrVintage Emerson Electric Cage Fan Steel Blade 29646Vintage Eames Era Modernist Braun Hl1c Multiwind Desk Fan Rheinhold Weiss DesignAntique Ge General Electric Pancake Motor Fan Brass Complete Original 10" BladeVintage Kmart K-223 Lakewood 3 Speed Window Fan Metal BladesNice Old Antique Vtg Fan Ca 1914 Century Frame S2 Model 102 Electric FanVintage Westinghouse Electric Fan 2 Speed Black Style 516873 A.c. Motor WorksVintage 1956 50's Mid-century Turquoise Box Lau Super Twenty FanVintage Vornado Table Top Electric Fan Space Age Look Model 16c2-1 Running