Russ Huber Posted January 5, 2023 Author Share Posted January 5, 2023 (edited) The Powers Central Station Directories support Menominee DC portable desk fans 1900 and 1901. Being Menominee went bankrupt and into receivership early 1900 and reestablished and resumed manufacture in May of 1900, what were their desk fans, if in fact they were? Coming out of bankruptcy back on the market their desk fans more than likely would have taken on a less elaborate appearance? My impression is these desk fans date 1900-01. I can't prove it, but it seems logical to me. Edited January 5, 2023 by Russ Huber 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Huber Posted January 6, 2023 Author Share Posted January 6, 2023 This Menominee model appears to have had 2 seasons on the market that being 1896 and 97. It was known as the American fan motor in the midwest agency the Electrical Appliance Co. There is a 96 article that Menominee did have agency in NY and San Francisco. It states they sold 50 fan motors in 1896 to NY. The images below are 97. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Huber Posted January 6, 2023 Author Share Posted January 6, 2023 The Menominee Noxall (eastern NY agency) and American (Midwest Chicago agency) models appear in electrical trade 1898-99. The electrical trade trail ends for these models in 99. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Huber Posted January 6, 2023 Author Share Posted January 6, 2023 (edited) Mel, Thanks for sharing those images of your Menominee. I wish I could be more definitive, or helpful as to just exactly where your example fits in between the fan motor seasons of 1896 and 1901. One member in a message to me shared in past in a friendly way made it clear I can be rather blunt. I just see things for most part in a rather black and white world. 🙂 Yes, if you wanted to, you could through the follow through help of members like Louis Luu, you could modify your example in much the likeness of the desk and bracket Noxall or American Menominee fan motor. The dolphin base could be recreated and a means of threading the base to the field frame could be done. This way the fan could be kept in original state to replace the base that is presently on it. The only wrench in the works is to have a Noxall or American Menominee in its full glory, this would require the addition of full nickel plate top to bottom. Enjoy your toy! To cast the dolphin base to hold up the weight of the fan motor head either desk or bracket must require some kind of reinforcement within the casting? Edited January 6, 2023 by Russ Huber 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louis Luu Posted January 7, 2023 Share Posted January 7, 2023 7 hours ago, Russ Huber said: Mel, Thanks for sharing those images of your Menominee. I wish I could be more definitive, or helpful as to just exactly where your example fits in between the fan motor seasons of 1896 and 1901. One member in a message to me shared in past in a friendly way made it clear I can be rather blunt. I just see things for most part in a rather black and white world. 🙂 Yes, if you wanted to, you could through the follow through help of members like Louis Luu, you could modify your example in much the likeness of the desk and bracket Noxall or American Menominee fan motor. The dolphin base could be recreated and a means of threading the base to the field frame could be done. This way the fan could be kept in original state to replace the base that is presently on it. The only wrench in the works is to have a Noxall or American Menominee in its full glory, this would require the addition of full nickel plate top to bottom. Enjoy your toy! To cast the dolphin base to hold up the weight of the fan motor head either desk or bracket must require some kind of reinforcement within the casting? No. Keep that fan as is. Just make another one instead. Laser fused metal is extremely strong. It has a rating "tool steel". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Huber Posted January 7, 2023 Author Share Posted January 7, 2023 Sure looks to be a factory base. One you could question, not 2 examples. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Huber Posted January 7, 2023 Author Share Posted January 7, 2023 (edited) 4 hours ago, Louis Luu said: No. Keep that fan as is. Just make another one instead. Laser fused metal is extremely strong. It has a rating "tool steel". The fan can be kept as is, Nickel plate is expensive anyway. You can cad and cast the Dolphin base with bracket pivot with the high-tech laser fused metal so it can be threaded into his field where the present base is threaded in. The Dolphin casting can be brass plated and oxidized to blend in with the rest of the fan. When you get it done send it to Mel! I am sure he would be thrilled! Edited January 7, 2023 by Russ Huber 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel Lagarde Posted January 7, 2023 Share Posted January 7, 2023 Russ, You are so doggone helpful and I appreciate the education on this example. I ran the fan and sure enough the fan runs CCW making the blade pitched wrong and confirming your suspicions that the blade is a reproduction. It is wrong. My plan is to leave the fan as it mounted in the base and will borrow Stefan’s blade to reproduce the spider and make a blade that matches his and then do my best to age it down. A question in my mind is if the six wing spider on my fan is correct. I like the six wing look as shown in the Noxall but no images of this fan and base have been found yet and so I am left wondering if this a four blade it six blade fan. Chuck Abernathy owned this before me and I BELIEVE he found it from our mutual Austrian friend, Petra. I think this older image dates back to when Petra had this fan. Russ, I appreciate all you do for us dating these early fans. Louis, you have been a remarkable support, as well. My best to you both, Mel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Huber Posted January 7, 2023 Author Share Posted January 7, 2023 (edited) Mel, You're a gem of a human being, always something nice to say. I stood next to Chuck Abernathy and your fan at Madison Fan Fair. I would say the chances of your blade being incorrect are high, but it has a pleasant appearance and is running properly. If it ain't broke, why fix it. Stefan's model appears to have a 16" blade, I can't recall for sure. As you may have noticed, there is a short extension between the base and field frame on Stefan's example. If I were you, I think I would let well enough alone with your blade. Exactly what blade and its construction was originally on your fan is a tough one. The only one like yours to surface is Stefan's. I would be highly suspicious yours and Stefan's examples were manufactured in 00-01. 1900 was a bad year for the Menominee concern, but they were up and running again in May of 1900. I can't imagine Tideman skipping the 1901 fan motor season, there was time for them to prepare for the 01 season unless financially they were strapped to manufacture fan motors and focused on other product. The Dolphin base is a possibility for your fan as I see it with one modification to the fan field frame itself. In short, the base can be optional. If Louis would focus on the Dolphin casting base as 3 sections assembled. The top section of the pivot would be one cast, or a milled piece. It may be necessary to enlarge the threaded mounting hole where your base is mounted in your field frame. The top section of the Dolphin base pivot is threaded into your field frame and needs to be secured hardy into the frame to handle the fan head weight. The center cast section with the Dolphins has the reinforced cast pivot above wing nut secured to the top pivot. The Dolphin heads fit into slots in the cast base to be secured with beefy screws threaded into each dolphin from under the base. Now if you like that and can pin down Louis for the task between cads, the best of luck to you! 🙂 Edited January 7, 2023 by Russ Huber 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Lumsden Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 From The Electrical Age 1898-04-09: Vol21 Iss 15... Also found this nugget in Electrical Review 1898-06-16: Vol 32 Iss 25... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Huber Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 (edited) Vance Electric Co. was a short-lived east coast electrical contractor. They EXPRESS themselves as manufacturers for the fan motors they market. Explanation: Who in the h ell knows who Menominee Mechanical & Electric Co. is on the east coast late 19th century? Vance became an established east coast contractor mid 90s. No Walmart or Google back then. Just exactly who Vance was marketing fan motors for in their fan motor line?? So far, we are aware of one, that being Menominee. The CF they mention could be Joe Blows & Son's CF. Marketing back then can fool some of the best reading electrical trade journals today. Menominee desk fans were marketed Noxall on the east coast agency and American out of Chicago agency. Edited January 31, 2023 by Russ Huber 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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