Electric dreams

The curious tale of a Thomas Edison fan in Singapore

- Hazel Tang

Cast in bronze and brass, the Victorian electric fan stands at just half the height of its contemporary pedestal counterparts.

It is undeniably beautiful, but a step around its back reveals details that make this fan even more fascinating.

The part that holds its motor is shaped like an upright light bulb. Attached to it is what looks like a miniature ship's steering wheel, complete with replicas of electric wires and a flick switch. The tiny handles of the "wheel" are actually miniature light bulbs that can be tightened or loosened by hand, like thumbscrews.

Below them are three deep-maroon, grape-like light bulbs, each labelled 4cp 15v—or four candlepower, 15 volts—a clue that they come from a time when electricity was still a novelty. Candlepower, once a measure of brightness, was replaced by candela in 1948 and today, the standard voltage in many countries is between 220V and 240V.

At the heart of these intricate details is the engraving of a young man, believed to be Thomas Edison, the legendary American inventor of the modern light bulb. An accompanying inscription reads: "Presented to Thomas Alva Edison by the designer Joseph Lee, with the compliments of the New York Edison Co."

For the past 26 years, this fascinating artefact has been in the possession of Singaporean antique collector and dealer Toh Chee Keong, better known as CK. The 60-year-old constantly faces the same two questions: Is the fan genuine? Did it really belong to Edison?

RELIC OR REPLICA?

CK acquired the fan in 1999 for US$37,500 from a mysterious US antique enthusiast known only as James.

Sceptics argued that the fan—measuring about 70cm tall and 38cm wide—could be a replica. They pointed to a nearly identical piece at the Antique Fan Museum in Indiana, US, which has no engraving and inscription.