GE fans

[fan-of-fans]

Does anyone know when the last GE fans were made at the factory in Connecticut? I have two of the last fans that have the 5 plastic blades and I know they were made in the 60s and 70s but I was wondering when in the 70s it was that they stopped.

 

[supersuds]

It would be interesting to know...all of the GE small appliance manufacturing was discontinued by Jack Welch in the early 80s, wasn't it? I don't know if they were still making fans that late or not

 

[cfz2882]

last GE fans

I don't think I have seen a GE fan newer than about 1970. GE small appliances lasted through about 1983,then were sold to Black and Decker who continued to make many of the GE designs for a while.I too am interested in when GE made their last home fans...I have 4 GE fans worth mention:1902 brass,~1925,~1940 vortilex,and one ~1965 that is 1950s style,but with 5 blade plastic fan.

 

[supersuds]

I just thought to check the book "Collector's Guide to Electric Fans" by John M. Witt. It says: "In 1984 General Electric sold their small motor division to Black & Decker, thus ending a century of fan manufacturing."

Witt has a reputation at the AFCA forums for being inaccurate, but that's what he says. 1984 seems a little late to me. He has no pictures of GE fans newer than 1950.

 

[cfz2882]

fans in 1984

as I recall,most new fans in 1984 were galaxy and lasko along with some imports like tatung,panasonic,Etc.Superlectric quit after about 1982 and I am not sure if McGraw Edison was still around in 1984,though they were quite common in the stores as recently as~1981-82.

 

[supersuds]

There were Patton and Lakewood, I think? I had a little Patton fan-heater in the 80s that was made in Indiana. But I don't recall seeing GE at that point.

 

[fan-of-fans]

I know McGraw Edison was still making box fans at least in 1984, they had Toastmaster box fans into the 1990s.

I know Westinghouse and Emerson stopped making portable fans in the 70s, and Hunter did in the early 80s.

And yes GE sold their small appliance division to B&D in 1984, but I agree I don't think I've seen GE fans from that late.

I have a black GE Vortalex with three aluminum blades from the 30s I'd say, a gray GE with four stamped blades from the 1950s, a similar smaller one in beige with a tighter cage from the 1960s, and a larger one with the tight cage and 5 blades from the 1960s or 70s. I also have two of the big beige box fans with the 5 blades, both 3 speed.