1920s Emerson Serial Prefixes: A N K T W

[Derek Warnecke]

Is there any sort of known date range assigned to 1920s Emerson fans based on the alpha serial prefix?  This is, of course, for pre-1929 fans without the numerical date code.

[Steve Stephens]

I and the AFCA had a friend, now deceased who was                                               very knowledgeable on fans of the teens                                                through the 30s. Bill                                                Voigt had a collection, not to work on or restore, but to admire and note the differences and to study the motor construction.   Bill was a very smart man and I copied down some of his research including the followingl.  This should help with the letter prefixes.   I cannot vouch for the                                                               accuracy:

Emerson letter prefixes:

 

A    27xxx plus early 28, 29xxx  maybe some early ones without the suffix & 27645  All A have screw-in oilers.  Forged looking high handles.  Black porcelain switch.

 

K    By 1924-25 and shortly after 28xxx and 29xxx types came out.  New motor winding/speed coil, switch base changed from ceramic to composition, hubs painted gold.  Press-in oilers, low "screen door" handle,  cage struts still with extra bends.

 

N    c.1927, Pyramid badge, straight cage struts on late N, higher rolled steel handle in use

 

T   All had pyramid badges, straight struts,  Improved Parker blades, 12" version about a year before 16" blade improvements.   Headwire access plate added sometime in the T prefix.   Late T or early W flared out larger oil cap.

 

W  All had headwire access plates, composition round switch on early W

 

(blank space for serial number)

(new tag with no place for serial number)

 

AK   1937 first capacitor motors.  73646 AK were the first

 

First date code:  Bill has seen a "9" for 1929   He's possibly seen an "8"

 

12xxx and 16xxx power cord came out back.

 

c.1915 headwire outlet on base and power cord inlet moved to 45 deg. to right of center for better headwire routing when fan is wall mounted.