Country Classic - Give It a Whirl

Pairing form with function, the sculptural table fan lends easy-breezy patina-and a soothing soundtrack-to summer spaces.

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Object Lesson

Whoosh, There It Is: The summer of 1886 was a hot one, and the Manhattan office of C. & C. Electric Motor Co. was abuzz with something refreshingly cool-the first electric table fan. Dr. Schuyler Skaats Wheeler, a Thomas Edison protégé, built the workbench fan by attaching a two-blade propeller to a small motor, thus revolutionizing personal cooling forever.

Display a flock of fans atop a bookcase or kitchen cabinets.

Fan Craze: The 1910s heralded the Golden Age of fan design. Necessity was the mother of invention during these years as Americans relied solely on fans to keep cool. Engineers like Philip Diehl and George Westinghouse worked hard to perfect their designs made of heavy cast-iron and brass blades. Protective metal cages came soon after.