Share your favorites on Show & Tell

antique pullchain switch for ceiling fan(s)

In Tools and Hardware > Electric Fans > Show & Tell and Electronics > Show & Tell.
All items12264 of 244522antique AMERICAN short hanging ceiling light fixtureBlue Glass Jewelry
7
Love it
0
Like it

PhonoboyPhonoboy loves this.
blunderbuss2blunderbuss2 loves this.
vetraio50vetraio50 loves this.
WatchsearcherWatchsearcher loves this.
fortapachefortapache loves this.
Alfie21Alfie21 loves this.
Vynil33rpmVynil33rpm loves this.
See 5 more
Add to collection

    Please create an account, or Log in here

    If you don't have an account, create one here.


    Create a Show & TellReport as inappropriate


    Posted 2 years ago

    AnythingOb…
    (1778 items)

    Made by BRYANT, I'm pretty certain anyway that this old pullcord switch was made to control a ceiling fan (or string of 'em) somewhere thereabouts the 1920's-40's, before (relatively huge and heavy by today's standards...I have a few of those too) ceiling fans went *far* out of fashion (as airconditioning was being born) then resurged in the 1970's or so. It would have been surface mounted to a ceiling someplace where its original (appearing) pull string with bakelite knob would have dangled down.

    It is marked BRYANT on its metal cover and underneath its brown ceramic base. Pics 3 & 4 are meant to show the truly ingenious mechanism inside which is a ratcheting sorta thing that goes one 'click' further around each time the chain is pulled, for a total of 4 (I think, at the glance) combinations of electrical connections to be made between its various little brass contact parts (both on the moving axle, and the stationary ones with screw terminals all around) that, in turn, would be the typical "HIGH/MED/LOW/OFF" settings expected from a ceiling fan.

    As with most electrical devices manufactured a hundred years or so ago it is a beautifully engineered and constructed little machine, obviously intended by its makers to provide excellent and trouble-free service over (oh, let's say?) a hundred years or so...?

    And though I haven't (yet?) found reason to use it again, I have little to no doubt that it works as perfectly correctly *right now* as it did the day it left the BRYANT factory, and is ready for another hundred year's worth of duty...?? ;-) :-) :-)

    logo
    Electric Fans
    See all
    Antique Emerson Silver Swan 10 Green Oscillating Fan Art Deco - Working
    Antique Emerson Silver Swan 10 Gree...
    $224
    Vintage Metallic Seamless Tube Co The Zephyr oscillating 8
    Vintage Metallic Seamless Tube Co T...
    $417
    Antique ROBBINS & MYERS #2610 3 Spd 9
    Antique ROBBINS & MYERS #2610 3 Spd...
    $66
    Vintage Antique Racine Electric Company Brass Metal Desk Fan Model 33 Type 83
    Vintage Antique Racine Electric Com...
    $499
    logo
    Antique Emerson Silver Swan 10 Green Oscillating Fan Art Deco - Working
    Antique Emerson Silver Swan 10 Gree...
    $224
    See all

    Comments

    1. PhilDMorris PhilDMorris, 2 years ago
      These were made well into the early 1980's also, when you could actually buy so much neat stuff in lamp stores.

    Want to post a comment?

    Create an account or login in order to post a comment.