Circa 1897 12" GE Swivel-Trunnion "Football Tag" Fan, expertly finished by Carlton Ward, a highly respected and longstanding member of the AFCA (Antique Fan Collectors Association). This fan was acquired by myself in 2014 as part of the Stan Good Collection.  Stan had started the fans restoration but not yet finished.  I contacted Carlton Ward (expert restorer to assist with the amazing finish).  If memory serves me correctly, the stator has been rewound and new bearings installed at time of restoration.  This fan represents a rare find from the first year of the two-speed switch by GE, Don notes only three known examples from 1897 in existence. It runs on both speeds as intended. Through Don and Margaret's extensive research, they uncovered fascinating insights into this fan. Surprisingly, the serial number of this 1897 fan is lower than the 1896 Football Tag that is also available. This discovery was supported by GE Bulletin No. 4098, dated March 1, 1897, a document obtained during their visit to GE's Hall of History in NY. A copy of this document, a valuable piece of historical evidence, will be provided to the buyer. General Electric's manufacturing strategy in 1897 involved repurposing excess 1896 motors by retrofitting them with a back-switch for 1897, rather than producing new 12-inch fan motors. This resulted in a unique mix of serial numbers, with some high SN's from the '96 pulls and low SN's from the '97 back shelf.

This is an exciting and rare opportunity to acquire such a historical piece and a must have for a fan enthusiast!

Dimension:

H: 16.0"

W: 13.0"

D: 8.5"