Antique/Vintage Electric Fan Wanted

[mjg0619]

Hello all!

I'm looking to acquire a vintage oscillating table fan, 12 or 16 inch preferred. Main brands of interest are G.E. and Westinghouse.

Yes, they're all over eBay, but the prices are usually ridiculous and the fans that are reasonably priced are usually in need of much more repair/restoration than I am capable of doing. Besides, I would much rather buy from someone I know is a real person!

The pics are just an example of the style I'm looking for.

Thanks!

 

[jasonlittle]

Have u ever checked at auctions. I got a Westinghouse fan last week for 8$

 

[rp2813]

Shopgoodwill.com is another good place to look, although shipping charges can easily kill the deal, considering that a vintage GE Vortalex is very heavy.

 

[fan-of-fans]

You might want to try the AFCA, and see if they have any to sell. You could probably get better deals there. Over the last few years the prices for them on eBay have indeed gotten ridiculous. I haven't bought any on there in a long time.

 

[mjg0619]

Cole, they seem to be every bit as eccentric and passionate as we are on this site!

 

[jasonlittle]

I love to collect vintage Lasko and galaxy fans. I've got over 60 of them stuffed in my attic.

 

[mjg0619]

I've got my grandmother's Lasko, which looks very similar to the Galaxy in the second pic you posted.

 

[tolivac]

You can always try thrift stores and yard sales.

 

[goatfarmer]

I have 2 of the Westinghouse fans you have pictured. Bought both at garage sales, for less than $10.00 Good luck with your search!

 

[mjg0619]

Thrift stores here rarely sell electric anything and NEVER have anything that old. They see old or used electrical items as safety hazards. Yard sales/estate sales are also pretty barren for anything earlier than the 70s. A huge portion of this area was wiped out by the flood of '72 brought on by Hurricane Agnes.

 

[fan-of-fans]

I rarely see old fans at garage or estate sales. I have found a couple at thrift stores but they aren't common to find.

My grandmother had a blue Galaxy similar to the ones in the pictures, but the buttons pushed down more like a piano. I wish I had that fan, it was perfect.

 

[robbinsandmyers]

Your best bet..................

Is to find an Emerson from the 30s-40s. These are known to be the best fans ever built and can take some pretty long run times without even getting warm let alone hot. A close second with be Robbins & Myers of the same era. If you want more modern looking ones the Sanyos and Panasonics from the 70s-80s with Lucite blades make great daily runners also. I have two I run non stop over the summer. Try to avoid GE after 1950 as they went to much cheap motors that are hard to oil. And dont forget to buy some Zoom Spout oil and white lithium grease for the gear box and lube them a few times a year.