Is this cage normal ?

[John Deats]

   I purchased this GE 12" 2 star beauty. Don't know the year of manufacture, but something seems very out of place. The blade is steel, but the cage is steel and brass. The S wires are brass, and the metal circles are steel. Each steel circle is connected by a brass joiner. My question is: was the manufacturing of this cage normal, or was it made this way to get rid of excess metal ? 

[Anthony Lindsey]

Normal for that time period.    I have had a couple cages like that.

[John Deats]

I am thinking of painting the steel and polishing the brass to get a completely different look. How did you do yours ?

Edited December 5, 2024 by John Deats
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[Anthony Lindsey]

Same,  here's a Hunter 2 star with steel S wires.

Edited December 5, 2024 by Anthony Lindsey

[John Deats]

Thanks !

Edited December 5, 2024 by John Deats
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[John Deats]

Beautiful piece. The contrast is nice on your cage. Looks better than all brass.

[Russ Huber]

WW1 war material needs.

[John Deats]

Russ,  so that would also explain the blade being steer instead of brass. 

[Steve Cunningham]

The three stars were brass and brass. The two star I had was a gold colored steel blade. I can’t remember but think the cage was the same.

[John Deats]

Thanks Steve, that's good to know. I thought they came with a brass blade. I have later model 12" GE fans with brass blades. I also have a 3 star with a brass blade and cage. Do I stay historically accurate and keep the steel blade or do I put my own twist on it and put a brass blade on instead.That is the question.

[Paul Carmody]

I had this one with the rear brass ring only.It was on the first year Bell fan.Just shows they were using left over parts.

[John Deats]

I guess as long as everything was painted black, it didn't matter what material they used.

[Steve Cunningham]

1 hour ago, John Deats said:

Thanks Steve, that's good to know. I thought they came with a brass blade. I have later model 12" GE fans with brass blades. I also have a 3 star with a brass blade and cage. Do I stay historically accurate and keep the steel blade or do I put my own twist on it and put a brass blade on instead.That is the question.

I found brass cage and struts. I bought a six wing brass blade and had it restored.

[Russ Huber]

During World War 1, the most critical raw materials needed included iron ore, coal, copper, rubber, timber, wool, cotton, leather, oil, and nitrates - essentially materials required for producing weapons, ammunition, uniforms, vehicles, and other military equipment

 

A typical brass alloy contains around 60% copper. This means that the remaining part of brass is primarily composed of zinc.

Edited December 6, 2024 by Russ Huber

[John Deats]

So if my fan contributed to the war effort, what year would my fan have been manufactured ?

[Anthony Lindsey]

2 stars were 1916-19 I believe 

WW1 was 1914-18 with US gearing up starting 1917 with actual combat starting in 1918.

Edited December 6, 2024 by Anthony Lindsey

[Russ Huber]

The United States entered World War I on April 6, 1917, after President Woodrow Wilson requested a declaration of war against Germany

Edited December 6, 2024 by Russ Huber

[John Deats]

I know the U.S. entered the war in 1917, but I didn't know when the gearing up actually started. So trying to find a brass blade for this fan may be a little challenging.

[Steve Rockwell]

        John,

  A reliable age approximation is 1919 birth. Photographed below is your fan's near brother, 12-inch Form V1 serial #1387201, with its semi brass cage components.

        

     This mixed metal subject has been treated in both the old and the new Forum, mentioning various combinations of brass and steel front- and rear-ring and s-wires.

   A fresh observation on the subject: last June at Tom Zapf's New Jersey Meet I spent the greatest amount of time in front of Rob Duffy's array of beauteous fans (My customary station on hot days there is front of one of Lane Shirey's circulators.) When I looked down from the wonders on display in the second row, I happened to notice that the s-wires on his GE fan in front had alternating loops around the front ring of the guard, meaning that one wrapped to the right, the next to the left, and so on... I wondered whether I'd stumbled onto another GE eccentricity, and when I returned home checked older photos of the above fan to confirm my suspicion.

I had forgotten to bring camera to the Meet, but am near certain that Rob's fan was Form V (numeral unknown). I don't remember that fan's cage being hybrid brass-steel, but perhaps he'll chime in... Since then, I've kept an eye out for this alternating feature. Both of our fans (mine is now gone) have alternating loops, while I've seen other of the various Form Vs with identical loops. Note Anthony Lindsey's Hunter fan above also alternates... and Paul Carmody's as well. Soon enough, GEs (at least some V4s) carried welded steel loop-less guards.

   Whether any Form Vs other than V1 were similarly had alternating loops is what I've speculated over, because it seem possible that V2 also could have hybrid BrasSteel guards. As for the loops, we'll see what we learn with time...

Edited December 6, 2024 by Steve Rockwell

[Anthony Lindsey]

The first major combat action in World War I was on May 28, 1918, at the Battle of Cantigny. The 1st Division was the most experienced of the five American divisions in France at the time. The battle was fought to reduce a German salient in the front lines and to boost the confidence of the French

[Steve Rockwell]

       GE was in the war years earlier than that...

... all of which reflects on our notions of fan production, steady employment, Form designations as time markers, and what shortages occurred when (and for years afterwards)...

[John Deats]

My fan is a V1 and also has the reverse wrap. 

[Russ Huber]

The Tideman Electric Mfg. Co. advertised in 1920 to market 9", 12", and 16" model desk fans. Due to material shortages post war they could only manufacture the 9" model.

[David A Cherry]

I have also run into this problem where half the cage is steel and the other half is brass.. in my opinion you just painted all black. I’m certain that’s what they did.

[Russ Huber]

Something you could try for an interesting look is to strip the guard down to bare metal. Polish the outstanding brass areas on the guard. Clean all the polish off the guard. Apply with a rag gun cold bluing focusing on the exposed steel areas. Rub the steel areas until the cold bluing soaks in good and darkens the steel. The brass areas being an alloy will not take on the bluing much, if at all. Wipe and buff the guard down good with a clean rag. Apply a spray lacquer or clear coat to keep the metal from oxidizing.

Edited December 6, 2024 by Russ Huber