Western Electric Antique Electric Fan

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Western Electric Antique Electric Fan

Sold For:

Sold Date:02/14/2008
Channel: Online Auction
Source: eBay
Category: Tools

Western Electric Antique Electric Fan
Circa 1915-1925
This 9 1/2" Western Electric Fan is in EXCELLENT shape!!! I purchased it at an antique auction in Beaumont, Texas over 20 years ago & paid almost $100 for it.
Since then, it has been displayed in my office and turned on once or twice a year just to prevent problems from lack of use. Yesterday, I completely cleaned it up and lubricated it. I also spent over an hour hand polishing the solid brass blades and they are so shiny, you can see my reflection in the picture in the gallery. This fan needs NOTHING! It tilts and has 2 speeds. The motor is quiet considering it is over 80 years old...truth be known, it was probably put together with much more craftsmanship back then! The external cord (plugs into the wall) had been replaced when I bought it, but they used a cord and plug that keeps with the period. The rest of the wiring is the original "cloth" wiring and is in very good shape.
You will see many old General Electric and Hawthorne fans but Western Electric Fans are much harder to come by (especially one in this shape) . Western Electric was known for their telephones but they made many other products (see below) before they sold off their consumer division in the mid 1920's. In fact, they were the largest electrical manufacturer in the United States.
Western Electric still makes vacuum tubes but the company became part of the Bell System which is now Lucent Technologies.
I've tried to give you a brief history of Western Electric and the fan. T is some more information listed below.
The bottom line is that this fan would make a great addition for someone that loves antiques.
WARNING:
You need to be very careful if t are children with access to the fan! The cage is very open and the brass blades will take a finger right off!
This is a GREAT DEAL on a GREAT FAN from Western Electric...
Shipping cost is high because the fan is heavy and it will require significant packing to make sure it arrives to you in the same shape I have kept it in for 20+ plus years.
Happy Bidding!!!

WESTERN ELECTRIC PRODUCTS
(other than telephones)

Western Electric, best known by the American public for its rugged, high quality telephones , did not start out in the business of making telephones. In the early days, they made fans, sewing machines, audio equipment (they made the first loudspeakers!), vacuum tubes, sound for the first "talking" movies, and more.

"Quality" wasn't just a buzz-word with Western Electric. They practiced what they preached. In fact, they wrote the standards for quality that are still used by today's companies.

· Sewing Machine

· Electric Fan

· Automated Answering Service

· "Mirrorphone" wire ribbon recorder/player

· Motion Picture sound equipment

· Electron Tubes (photo)

· Loud Speaker - (also known as a Loud Speaking Telephone as it was called back when Western Electric invented it!

· First pager, the BellBoy (frame from Bell System movie called "Century 21 Calling" produced in the mid 1960's)