David Kilnapp Posted November 21, 2022 Share Posted November 21, 2022 (edited) Good morning and happy Thanksgiving to all my fan friends. Recently, on a trip for our 46th wedding anniversary up to Vermont, my wife and I wandered into an antique collaborative and found this fan on a shelf being offered for $410. The case and motor tag were cracked and a previous owner had bent the lower part of the rear cage ring upward like one would see on an oscillating fan. I offered the seller (by phone) $250 for it and we settled on $275. The fan ran fine on three speeds. I restored the cage to its original circular shape. I have the same fan which was the first in my collection many years ago so I knew that the bottom rear cage ring was supposed to be rounded. I broke it down and cleaned the stator and rotor, replaced the wicks, restored the cage's correct shape and built a poplar base for it. The original paper tag (dated 1910) was still present on the bottom cover. I love the blueing on the brass. I was thinking of selling it since I have the same fan (below) but my dear wife prevailed on me to keep it as it goes with the decor in our guest bedroom. The fan below was the first fan in my collection which my late brother gave me (in pieces) many years ago before he died. Ron Bethoney of New England Brass did most of the restoration work on it as my skills were non-existent at that time. Edited November 21, 2022 by David Kilnapp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Henderson Posted November 21, 2022 Share Posted November 21, 2022 Very nice Dave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kilnapp Posted November 21, 2022 Author Share Posted November 21, 2022 The fun is in the hunt for these little gems, Jim! Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Borg Posted November 21, 2022 Share Posted November 21, 2022 1 hour ago, David Kilnapp said: Good morning and happy Thanksgiving to all my fan friends. Recently, on a trip for our 46th wedding anniversary up to Vermont, my wife and I wandered into an antique collaborative and found this fan on a shelf being offered for $410. The case and motor tag were cracked and a previous owner had bent the lower part of the rear cage ring upward like one would see on an oscillating fan. I offered the seller (by phone) $250 for it and we settled on $275. The fan ran fine on three speeds. I restored the cage to its original circular shape. I have the same fan which was the first in my collection many years ago so I knew that the bottom rear cage ring was supposed to be rounded. I broke it down and cleaned the stator and rotor, replaced the wicks, restored the cage's correct shape and built a poplar base for it. The original paper tag (dated 1910) was still present on the bottom cover. I love the blueing on the brass. I was thinking of selling it since I have the same fan (below) but my dear wife prevailed on me to keep it as it goes with the decor in our guest bedroom. The fan below was the first fan in my collection which my late brother gave me (in pieces) many years ago before he died. Ron Bethoney of New England Brass did most of the restoration work on it as my skills were non-existent at that time. Mine has the upturned cage, and is original as far as I know. Pardon the photo, struts are off so held cage in place by hand. Can anyone else chime in on if round or upturned is correct. Did they use both at one time because of excess inventory? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Lindsey Posted November 21, 2022 Share Posted November 21, 2022 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Frank Posted November 21, 2022 Share Posted November 21, 2022 Very Nice Find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kilnapp Posted November 21, 2022 Author Share Posted November 21, 2022 Hmmm, I guess I'll have to rethink the bottom bend. The evidence seems clear that the bend should be there, however, I do like the look of the circular cage, however, I always want to be historically accurate.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Stephens Posted November 21, 2022 Share Posted November 21, 2022 (edited) I swapped the cage on my early GE all brass to one with better patina and both had the bottom reverse curve. The guards and blades were identical other than the amount of nice old patina. Edited November 22, 2022 by Steve Stephens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Behrend Posted November 21, 2022 Share Posted November 21, 2022 Mine has the reverse curve also. Yours looks great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chew Posted November 21, 2022 Share Posted November 21, 2022 Beautiful work David. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Deats Posted November 21, 2022 Share Posted November 21, 2022 Great restore Dave! You are so right, it's the hunt. The crustier the better. The restore is a challenge. The finished product is something to admire. I find it hard to part with them, so each fan has a place in our house. Great hobby !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arjun Saini Posted November 22, 2022 Share Posted November 22, 2022 11 hours ago, David Kilnapp said: Good morning and happy Thanksgiving to all my fan friends. Recently, on a trip for our 46th wedding anniversary up to Vermont, my wife and I wandered into an antique collaborative and found this fan on a shelf being offered for $410. The case and motor tag were cracked and a previous owner had bent the lower part of the rear cage ring upward like one would see on an oscillating fan. I offered the seller (by phone) $250 for it and we settled on $275. The fan ran fine on three speeds. I restored the cage to its original circular shape. I have the same fan which was the first in my collection many years ago so I knew that the bottom rear cage ring was supposed to be rounded. I broke it down and cleaned the stator and rotor, replaced the wicks, restored the cage's correct shape and built a poplar base for it. The original paper tag (dated 1910) was still present on the bottom cover. I love the blueing on the brass. I was thinking of selling it since I have the same fan (below) but my dear wife prevailed on me to keep it as it goes with the decor in our guest bedroom. The fan below was the first fan in my collection which my late brother gave me (in pieces) many years ago before he died. Ron Bethoney of New England Brass did most of the restoration work on it as my skills were non-existent at that time. That’s a neat little thing. Wonder if its loud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kilnapp Posted November 22, 2022 Author Share Posted November 22, 2022 It's a very quiet running fan, Arjun, particularly at low speed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kilnapp Posted November 22, 2022 Author Share Posted November 22, 2022 (edited) Thanks to all who responded regarding the cage bend. I restored the bend to make it historically accurate. Edited November 22, 2022 by David Kilnapp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Rockwell Posted November 22, 2022 Share Posted November 22, 2022 (edited) 46 minutes ago, David Kilnapp said: Thanks to all who responded regarding the cage bend. I'll restore the bend to make it historically accurate. David, Here's the history. Yours, with the flat brass struts, is earlier than those others pictured above carrying profile struts. GE, noted at times for not posting the most current imagery in their catalogs, nonetheless depicts profile struts in 1912 and beyond. Roger's finger struts are a twenty-first century innovation. Your fan is non-oscillating so there's no need for that recurve. I can't read the serial number in the pic but have to imagine it's consistent with that earlier '10 or '11 birth date from the paper label, and for accuracy you can do anything you please with that guard ring; were it my choice it would remain circular, just as you restored it..... https://new.afcaforum.com/index.php?/topic/592-general-electric-bulletins-instruction-sheets-price-lists-catalogs-1895-1952/#comment-3705 I'm most curious about what you did with the cracked case........ Edited November 22, 2022 by Steve Rockwell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kilnapp Posted November 22, 2022 Author Share Posted November 22, 2022 (edited) Wow, that's great information! THANK YOU!! I will leave the cage with the bend since that was the way I found it. I didn't do anything about the cracked case because it would mess up the lovely blueing. I might have welded it but that would require removing the stator which was press fit into the case and the crack doesn't affect the operation so I left it as is. I did remove the broken motor tag and I repaired it. Here is the paper tag that was on the bottom cover. Edited November 22, 2022 by David Kilnapp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kilnapp Posted November 22, 2022 Author Share Posted November 22, 2022 Here are some pictures of the other brassie I have. It's interesting that this one has no oil pots (only oil holes). This one was lacking the bottom cover so there was no paper label to refer to for a date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Deloria Posted November 22, 2022 Share Posted November 22, 2022 Awesome job David on the entire fan, it turned out great. Steve thanks for posting that literature. I wasn't able to find much info about these fans and those catalog pages have some good info on them. I book marked that forum link you posted as well, VERY NICE thread! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Huber Posted November 22, 2022 Share Posted November 22, 2022 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kilnapp Posted November 23, 2022 Author Share Posted November 23, 2022 Now I'm REALLY torn. Should I keep it as I found it (with bend in cage) or make it a perfect circle like Russ's? I guess, in the end, it's a matter of personal preference though I'm leaning on leaving it the way it came to me, with the bend. Thanks for the picture Russ!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Huber Posted November 23, 2022 Share Posted November 23, 2022 41 minutes ago, David Kilnapp said: Now I'm REALLY torn. Should I keep it as I found it (with bend in cage) or make it a perfect circle like Russ's? I guess, in the end, it's a matter of personal preference though I'm leaning on leaving it the way it came to me, with the bend. Thanks for the picture Russ!! I have a better idea. Why not own them both? Think about it for a few days, I will be in touch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Huber Posted November 23, 2022 Share Posted November 23, 2022 (edited) edit. Edited November 24, 2022 by Russ Huber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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