Vintage Electric Fans
Instructions: Before air conditioning, the electric fan was king. How well do you remember these cooling companions?
- 1.
What type of fan, mounted to the ceiling with wide blades, circulated air in living rooms and on covered porches?
AA window fanBA box fanCA pedestal fanDA ceiling fan - 2.
What was the name for the feature on oscillating fans that made them slowly turn from side to side?
AOscillationBSweepingCPivotingDRotation - 3.
What classic American fan brand, known for heavy metal construction and art deco styling, became highly collectible?
AHunterBGECVornadoDEmerson - 4.
What dangerous feature of early electric fans, before safety regulations, left the spinning blades fully exposed?
AA loose baseBOverheating motorsCNo protective cage or guardDFrayed cords - 5.
What type of fan, square-shaped and designed to sit on the floor or in a window, was a summer staple in bedrooms?
AA desk fanBA table fanCA tower fanDA box fan - 6.
What large fan was installed in the attic or top-floor hallway to draw hot air out of the entire house?
AAn exhaust fanBA whole-house attic fanCA ventilation fanDA ceiling fan - 7.
What material were the blades of most vintage desk fans made from in the 1930s through 1950s?
AMetal (brass or steel)BWoodCPlasticDRubber - 8.
What type of portable fan sat on a tall adjustable stand, typically in a living room corner?
AA column fanBA tower fanCA pedestal fanDA floor fan - 9.
What small fan was commonly found clipped to a desk or table in offices before air conditioning was widespread?
AA hand fanBA personal coolerCA clip-on or desk fanDA mini fan - 10.
What did many people place in front of a fan to create a makeshift air conditioner?
AA bucket of cold waterBA damp towelCWet newspapersDA bowl or pan of ice - 11.
What kitchen appliance fan, mounted above the stove, was designed to pull cooking smoke and odors out of the kitchen?
AA range hood exhaust fanBAn air purifierCA ceiling fanDA window fan - 12.
What was the typical number of speed settings on a classic oscillating fan?
AThreeBFiveCTwoDOne - 13.
What brand, founded in 1886, became one of America's oldest and most respected manufacturers of ceiling fans?
ACasablancaBWestinghouseCHunterDEmerson - 14.
What humming or whirring sound from a bedside fan did many people come to rely on for help falling asleep?
AStatic noiseBBrown noiseCWhite noiseDPink noise - 15.
What reversible feature on ceiling fans allowed them to push warm air down from the ceiling in winter?
AA thermostatBA speed controlCA heating elementDA reverse switch to change blade direction