I need help identifying this fan.

[Daniel Herczeg]

I'm not fully sure what this fan is, besides being the predecessor of the Vortalex, and when I looked up the model number all I saw for the fan was one ebay listing. I would like to know what exactly I'm dealing with here, because I haven't seen anything like this.

[James Lawson]

It's a GE 49X929 from around 1937-38. These were offered concurrently with some of the quiet blade models. I don't think they sold as well as the quiet blade models, but they aren't rare by any means.

[Daniel Herczeg]

Would I be correct in saying that this was the predecessor to the Vortalex?

[Anthony Lindsey]

by age yes,  by design not really.   The motors didn't change a lot.  just the blade.

[Daniel Herczeg]

Are the blades supposed to be bare aluminum? The only other one of these I saw had matching black blades. If so, are they supposed to look more polished?

[Anthony Lindsey]

Correct,   by that time most blades were aluminum 

[Anthony Lindsey]

Painted or not I'm not sure. 

[Daniel Herczeg]

Would I be correct in assuming the blades need cleaning and polishing though?

[Anthony Lindsey]

It wouldn't hurt but no Idea if that's original. 

[Daniel Herczeg]

I found an old forum post of the fan, and it appears the blades do need polishing. I am, however, wondering if perhaps my fan is mislabeled, as this one is assembled differently.

[Daniel Herczeg]

I noticed a slight difference between this fan's motor and the Vortalex's motor: this one has an oiling device on the gearbox while the Vortalex does not. Does anyone know why this is?