When I was designing my shop space, I didn’t want to use ceiling fans. Not only do they take up precious ceiling space, but most modern offerings leave a lot to be desired from a style standpoint. Even so, I wanted to be able to move air efficiently and liked the idea of having a fan of some kind. What to do? I fell back on old favorite of mine – vintage fans…
The great thing about fans from the 1940’s and 50’s is that they are downright bulletproof and often quiet affordable. The key is to find a “non-op” fan at the antique store or on eBay. I’ve found that about 95% of all non-op vintage fans are just in need of a simple rewire. In fact, I’ve bought quite a few old fans in the past and have never ran across a bad motor. So long as the blade rotates smoothly, I am really comfortable buying junk.
Another thing a lot of folks don’t realize is that most “desk” fans from the 40’s and 50’s were also designed to be wall mounted. If you find a fan that tickles you, simply make sure the neck allows the fan to be pointed appropriately when mounted on a wall. If so, you are in business… and the look is killer.
In any case, here’s a few shots of my 1936 Emerson Electric. It’s a 12″ three speed fan that oscillates wonderfully and puts out a ton of air without making a ton of noise. I bought it off ebay for $25, spent another $15 on vintage style cloth covered wiring, and put it into service. The results are fantastic.
