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Old photograph…what kind of fan?


Darryl Hudson

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The radio is a Radiola AR-812 Super-Heterodyne (otherwise called a Super-Heterodyne Portable) from about 1924.  The table it is sitting on, in all likelihood, would have contained batteries to power the radio.  That would lead me to suspect the fan would be DC powered.  The speaker is a Western Electric 540-AW.  It sold, with the normal Radiola speaker, for $220 in 1924.

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44 minutes ago, Karl Greenhill said:

The radio is a Radiola AR-812 Super-Heterodyne (otherwise called a Super-Heterodyne Portable) from about 1924.  The table it is sitting on, in all likelihood, would have contained batteries to power the radio.  That would lead me to suspect the fan would be DC powered.  The speaker is a Western Electric 540-AW.  It sold, with the normal Radiola speaker, for $220 in 1924.

Karl hits a home run! The fan was probably made AC or DC, or better yet, a universal motor the teens to early 20s.

Radiola_AR-812-UZ-1320spk.jpg

7B75CBBB-85E0-498D-9518-1F47AF5C1952.thumb.jpeg.6e0ac5565d49143bbf7ef814d0a70a3e.jpeg

Edited by Russ Huber
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My first thoughts were an R&M or the star rite nickel plated fan. But the base isnt something I know either of those brands to use. It flares straight out without the rounded design that then goes straight down to the flat base. Unless it is some obscure maker I'd think the base most similar to Emerson or GE. But the badge doesnt look like either. It could be a graybar I suppose but Ive never seen those blades on one or any GE design fan after the 1920s. The Emerson northwind is similar but Ive only seen 4 S-wire cages on those with the pie blades. Also it looks like the rivets arent like the Northwinds unless the dots I see off center arent rivets and just artifacts. 

Edited by Trevor Andersen
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Star rite 1200. There is no badge. The three cage arms are hidden behind the blades, and the blades look like they are put on backwards giving the appearance of a badge.

20230110_205016.jpg

20230110_205158.jpg

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I should have put a question mark after dubbing it Graybar, and the mention of Robbins and Myers. The details on that fan in the image don't have the clarity to validate what we think it is, no matter what we think it is. Cool picture!

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I think John has the right fan. I forgot the base on that is the same. I dont think the blades are backwards necessarily. The hub and everything matches what the old photo "badge" area looks like.

Edited by Trevor Andersen
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3 hours ago, John Deats said:

I agree, cool picture. Could that be shirley temple ?


A Google Images search indicates the photo was taken circa 1926.  Shirley Temple wasn’t born until 1928.

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