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General Electric oscillating fan 1933 34?


Robert Brandon

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Good this is Robert Brandon checking in hope everyone had a very nice we can and the day continues on President's Day I am trying to do some research on a general electric fan that I received almost 15 years ago it was bought by a friend as a birthday present for me at Fan Dallas in Dallas Texas and was totally restored I haven't seen another on the site I'm not good with attachments but I can give you the following information it was done in a mint green color with aluminum color blades the category number is 55 165 the serial number is 82 557 the  No 53117.8 and it is in beautiful shape runs beautifully everything switched out new felt on bottom new wiring 1 speed in reviewing I saw one that was made 3334 but not that exact number it is not a Voralex  but still impressive  Any help appreciayed

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Hello Robert. Your fan is a Quiet Blade GE. Bill Kreiner put together a great assembly of Quiet Blade and Vortalex information. The complete compilation can be accessed in this thread: https://www.afcaforum.com/view_topic.php?id=61775&forum_id=5&highlight=55x165

Here’s a cut/paste from his work relevant to your fan:


The Quiet Fan (sometimes known as Quiet Blade Fan), with overlapping wings, was introduced in 1932, and continued through 1941. The Standard was introduced in 1937, and continued until well into the 1960s. The Vortalex (also called Super-Quiet Fan), with its unique “trailing tip” wings, was designed by W. K. Skolfield, and was introduced in the Spring of 1938. It finally ceased production in 1963. This chronology will cover these three models only. All fans are AC and oscillate, unless otherwise noted. The information in this document is as correct and complete as it can be at this time.


1932 – 1933:

The original Quiet Fan had one speed only and had a 3-wing polished aluminum blade. The grille had “S” shaped bars. This fan’s base, cage, and motor housing were black. 

8” Quiet Fan desk model – Form AN, Cat. # 55x165 (some were suffixed with B)

Edited by Dave McManaman
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     Robert, It would help to nail it down if you are able to solve your attachment problem and post a photo of the tag, the entire fan as well... Some of those numbers don't make sense to me, and I imagine the 82 557 might be S2_557... I'm posting a very typical 55x165 tag. The upper margin has two 7-digit patent numbers, the left of the tag next to the rivet pin has a tag designation. The spec. numbers changed over time and with marketer (Graybar had a different spec. from the same year GE example), and the alpha-numeric serial #--- S29296 as pictured here--- varied from R- through V- during the production run.

498781659_55x165S29296-Rockwell.png.82fc9abea7a3402f7b82d7ad8a0b4f74.png

  They're nice little fans, early application of the over-lapping blade. Be careful with the front bearing housing which is somewhat fragile being pot metal. If you can determine the originality of the green color, that would be of greatest interest; these fans were customarily ivory and black(B) in color. Being a restored fan, doesn't it seem likely that it wears a custom color? I have record of GE producing a green fan at this time, and I had imagined it to be more of a pastel or lime green, rather than the vivid, electric green shown in some images... If you can provide a determination on that, we'd all learn something new.....

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Dear Dave,Thank you so much for the information on the GE quiet fan.It does have the suffix  B at the end .I am guessing It's  an early  one.Whisper quiet,one speed, Aluminum Blades  and finished in a mint green for the Deco period .Thanks again Robert Brandon 

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Dear Steve Rockwell this is Robert Brandon I am still learning how to do attachments but I can tell you the fan color is a mint green. A pastel color the blades are aluminum but it looks like they were coated with aluminum paint. I know they made them with aluminum blades I may try a trick over the weekend and see if I can remove just a portion to see if they are indeed aluminum underneath they might look nice polished. Thanks for your response all is appreciated. Be safe God bless Robert Brandon

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