I'm a big fan of estate sales.

Went wandering around with the lil lady and the kids this weekend.  Saw some great estate sales.

One of which was, what appeared to be, the home of a retired single guy.  If i had to guess, I'd say this guy was an electrical engineer that had a deep hobby of photography and tinkering.

The little old ladies that always show up to estate sales and yard sales and the like just looked absolutely baffled.  My gf was exasperated when we walked up.  But myself and two or three other guys that wandered through were just enraptured.  We kept pointing out stuff to each other.

I would have loved to hang out with the owner.  Unfortunately that opportunity has passed, but I was able to buy some of his stuff.  Which leads me to this thread.

Pictures of some primo stuff:

And so on.  Three or four more rooms like that.  And the garage...

But then I saw it.  I have been looking for one of these for years that was in my price range, and all the other factors.  Unknowingly, likely since I first saw Tommy Boy.

I plugged it in and it spun up.  Asked the lady how much and almost pulled something getting it down.

$35 for a working example. 

Gonna just use it for a bit.  Do some scrubbing and see how bad it is.  Eventually I will take it down to bare metal and bring it back together all bright and shiny. But for now, i just have my office fan I've wanted for years.

Dang. I'm glad that sale wasn't near me.

Verry coo!

Those are the best fans money can buy and at $35 you stole it. 

Everything in there was drool-worthy. 

I wish the estate sales I've been to were that cool. I always end up looking at 4000 ceramic figurines. 

Colin Wood said:

Dang. I'm glad that sale wasn't near me.

I forget where in Florida you are, but it probably isnt bad.  They said they are likely gonna do a second sale on the same place.

https://www.estatesales.net/FL/Orange-Park/32073/4112682

Website of the sales people.

https://www.sageadvicesales.net/

In reply to Toyman! :

I am surprised I held it together enough when she gave me the price.  She didn't even plug it in.

Most of the ones I visit just plain suck.  This place was a true diamond in the rough

I'm a sucker for estate sales and cool old stuff that works better than the new stuff that replaced it (my toaster is 60 years old), so I'm genuinely curious: what makes the fan so special?

In reply to AMiataCalledSteve :

It'll cut your finger off?

I dont get hung up on what is better or not, I just like old stuff.  I havent dug into it yet, but it looks very similar to the G.E. 75423 fan, which is roughly 100 years old now.  If so, 100 year old oscillating fan that is still working.  How is it not better?

Yup.  Model 75423.  Still trying tonfind a website that gives breakdowns via serial number for a production date.

"ALTERNATING CURRENT"

The last time I saw a fan like that I was in Argentina. My friends uncle had one and was so excited to show me it was made just outside of my hometown in Ohio.

You're making me regret not hitting up an estate sale after seeing the sign posted at an intersection. The way I justified not swinging by is I know the area and what most old people hang on to in that financial bracket and it's all random junk. Might have been worth a peek. Next time...

Oh! And nice score on the fan!

In reply to clutchsmoke :

Yeah, this area was immediately off of Doctor's Lake in Jacksonville.   Kinda interspersed with some really run down areas, but the ones that aren't definitely arent.

sumbitch. I woulda bought absolutely everything that said atari on it, instantly. And not to resell. 

In reply to AMiataCalledSteve :

They move a lot of air and they are almost silent. Outstanding for an office.

In reply to Mndsm :

Get ahold of the folks at the second website.   If they still have it I'll hold onto it till the Challenge

Ever since Gregor Halenda posted about his fan collection over on Garage Journal in his mega mid century house thread, I've been drawn to vintage fans, particularly the cast aluminium ones. I googled the model number - Brass blades?

Love it! Here is my ancient Westinghouse 66" fan; it moves so much air I can use my garage on the hottest of days.

Gammaboy said:

Ever since Gregor Halenda posted about his fan collection over on Garage Journal in his mega mid century house thread, I've been drawn to vintage fans, particularly the cast aluminium ones. I googled the model number - Brass blades?

Unfortunately not.  Apparently it was common to swap out blades though.

Gammaboy said:

Ever since Gregor Halenda posted about his fan collection over on Garage Journal in his mega mid century house thread, I've been drawn to vintage fans, particularly the cast aluminium ones. I googled the model number - Brass blades?

Link?

dyintorace said:

Gammaboy said:

Ever since Gregor Halenda posted about his fan collection over on Garage Journal in his mega mid century house thread, I've been drawn to vintage fans, particularly the cast aluminium ones. I googled the model number - Brass blades?

Link?

This thread is huge.  Good luck finding them?

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/mid-century-moto-mecca-makeover.185104/

Mr_Asa said:

dyintorace said:

Gammaboy said:

Ever since Gregor Halenda posted about his fan collection over on Garage Journal in his mega mid century house thread, I've been drawn to vintage fans, particularly the cast aluminium ones. I googled the model number - Brass blades?

Link?

This thread is huge.  Good luck finding them?

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/mid-century-moto-mecca-makeover.185104/

It's well worth reading the whole thing though!

Mr_Asa said:

Yup.  Model 75423.  Still trying tonfind a website that gives breakdowns via serial number for a production date.

This site seems to have quite a bit of info on GE fans of this vintage

https://new.afcaforum.com/index.php?/topic/59114-ge-fan-dating-confusion/

Wife loves estate sales but most of them up here have gone to online by bid or sale now and she hates it. 

You know, I'm a bit slow at times. 

I just realized what you did with the thread title. 

Big fan indeed. 

Well done sir!

In reply to CJ :

That site is weird, to me.  Disorganized in a way that antique collectors usually arent.  If that makes sense.

I have searched through there and found some stuff on how to ID a fan's date of manufacturer, but its all over the place and disconnected from other mentions of the samr info.