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Post by redkiosk on Jul 28, 2021 19:44:15 GMT -5
When our kitchen was remodeled in 1999, we budgeted for a nice ceiling fan. Unique, modern and “woodsy” was what we were looking for. Our search ended after we saw an advertisement in Dwell magazine for The Modern Fan Company 52” “Orbis” in mahogany. Like many remodeling projects with their escalating costs, sometimes it requires jettisoning certain items to stay within the budget. Unfortunately, the Orbis ended up being one of those items for us, so I took the 1989 Beverly Hills Fan Co. Stratos from the family room and installed that instead. I figured it’s brushed aluminum finish would work well with the new stainless steel appliances. The family room got the extra white 1991 Casablanca Delta II that was stored in the attic and we got back to using our kitchen again with a fan whirling above. A few months ago I started noticing a slight bearing noise coming from the Stratos and began researching replacement bearings or even a new/used motor. Recently I came across a NIB Modern Fan Company Orbis on eBay. It seemed to be the exact same fan that we originally wanted 22 years ago! I wasn’t 100% sure, as the seller’s photographs were mostly close-ups at weird angles and only showed the fan wrapped with the original plastic and laying in the factory box. Added to that, I had only seen one magazine photograph of it decades ago. It seemed legit, but I couldn’t find ANYTHING online regarding a Modern Fan Company Orbis to refresh my memory. No photographs, no videos, no old manufacturer’s catalogs or advertisements… ZIPPO! I had no problem finding information on other Modern Fan Company fans that were manufactured during that time, and there was lots of information on the Prominence Home 52” “Orbis”, but absolutely nothing on an “Orbis” manufactured by The Modern Fan Company. I called The Modern Fan Company and they informed me that yes it was manufactured by them, but only from 1998-2001. It was quite a departure material-wise from their other fans and the turned-wooden body turned out to be quite labor intensive and expensive, so it ended up having a relatively short retail life. For $170, I took a chance and purchased it. Attachment DeletedAttachment Deleted
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Post by redkiosk on Jul 28, 2021 19:45:57 GMT -5
Even though I requested the factory box be placed within another box for shipping, it arrived in only the original box, but still in good condition. Un-boxings are fun, but even more so when you aren’t quite sure what you bought is going to look like. I was more than pleased with what I unpackaged and it was definitely NIB. Attachment DeletedAttachment Deleted
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Post by redkiosk on Jul 28, 2021 19:48:30 GMT -5
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Post by redkiosk on Jul 28, 2021 19:50:31 GMT -5
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Post by redkiosk on Jul 28, 2021 19:51:11 GMT -5
The ceiling canopy is actually the sloped ceiling adapter that was available for other MFC fans at that time, but it’s integrated it into the turned-wooden body. It looks nice, but it also makes it a PITA to hang this fan. There is no “set" absolute vertical position. The nut and spring holding the slope ceiling adapter tight to the body must be loosened just enough to be able to move the fan into a vertical position while it’s hanging from the ceiling. After a few slight knocks on the fan’s sides to position it vertical by visual inspection, it needs to be taken down again, the adapter nut fully tightened and the fan installed onto the ceiling once again. At least they added a safety hanging wire that holds the fan suspended from the ceiling mounting plate while the electrical wires are connected and the slope adapter is adjusted. Attachment Deleted
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Post by redkiosk on Jul 28, 2021 19:52:36 GMT -5
The Orbis hangs down a bit more, as the Stratos still had the hugger down-rod from when it was installed in the family room., but it works well in our kitchen. It’s very sculptural looking and with the four blades attached, almost segmented insect-like. An inverted dragonfly comes to mind. Attachment DeletedAttachment Deleted
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Post by redkiosk on Jul 28, 2021 19:54:02 GMT -5
It’s a beautiful fan and deserves to hang it where it should have been 22 years ago! If anyone here on the forum has any MFC catalogs and/or price lists from that time period, I’m curious as to what this fan retailed for and what year Ron Rezek actually designed it. Thanks in advance! Jim Attachment DeletedAttachment DeletedAttachment Deleted
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Post by Adin Panthers on Jul 28, 2021 21:46:52 GMT -5
Looks really neat! You should scan the manuals if you have one. Love the wooden tone on the fan.
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Post by Brian L. on Jul 28, 2021 22:42:06 GMT -5
I saw this on ebay myself and was debating on purchasing it, however I had other things to put my $$$ on. It is an amazing fan that I wish was sold for much longer. Happy that you got it so its beauty can be enjoyed by placing it in a well deserved spot in your home! I know someone who has an old MFC catalog, I might see if I can get acquisition of it. As of now, you can probably find some information using the wayback machine on the modern fan co website. web.archive.org/web/20001212090100/http://www.modernfan.com/
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Post by jonasclark on Jul 28, 2021 23:53:06 GMT -5
I have an undated Modern Fan Co. catalog. It contains the following: Stratos (4 blades, sphere w/ thick, three-lobed downrod). Options: 20-watt downlight. 52" or 42". White or brushed silver. Needs extra sloped ceiling adaptor. Aurora (4 blades, like a Stratos with an inverted-conical skirt & blocky blade holders, same downrod). 20-watt downlight & 300-watt uplight (that's the skirt) included. 52". White. Needs extra sloped ceiling adaptor. Aero (4 blades, like a Stratos with egg-shaped housing, three separate flat downrods). Options: Opal glass light. 52" or 42". Bronze (almost black) w/ bleached wood or all-white. Needs extra sloped ceiling adaptor. Cirrus (3 blades, cylinder, rounded bottom, mounts directly with wide base). Built-in sloped ceiling adaptor. Options: Downlight. 52", 42" or curved plastic (scimitar-like) 50". White or brushed silver. Cirrus Short (3 blades, "pill" shape, thin downrod). Built-in sloped ceiling adaptor. Options: 20-watt downlight. 52", 42" or curved plastic 50". White or brushed silver. Nimbus (5 blades, curved-conical housing, thin downrod). Built-in sloped ceiling adaptor. Opal glass light included. Options: 52" or 42". Brushed silver w/ white, all-bronze, all-white. And your Orbis, but here called the Orion. The only option was 52" or 42" blades. Looks identical to yours in every way. Unfortunately, the catalog has no date or copyright details listed, only "designed by Ron Rezek" integrated into the logo. It gives the following contact information: The Modern Fan Co. 701 Mistletoe, Ashland, OR 97520 Phone: (541) 482-8545 To find a dealer: (888) 588-FANS Fax: (541) 482-8418 www.modernfan.comSorry to say, that's all I've got. I can't even recall when and where I got the catalog, but I'm quite sure it was new at the time. I was probably on vacation and visited a non-local lighting showroom that carried these. My local showroom chain, Seattle Lighting Fixture Co., did not, as far as I recall; they only sold Casablanca and, earlier, Homestead as well. Edit: the link Brian posted shows dates. The Stratos was 1988. Aurora, Cirrus, 1990. Orbis (Orion must be a later name) 1991 and originally in "blond maple" too. Cirrus Short, 1997, and a hugger version, 1999. The Eclipse (my catalog calls it the Aero) was also 1999. My catalog's name change of a fan that had its original name in '99 dates my catalog after that point. This catalog also shows three new fans for 2000: the 5-blade UFO and 4-blade (similar) Flute and Industry.
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Post by Jean Lemieux on Jul 29, 2021 2:13:59 GMT -5
Awesome acquisition and interesting story. I saw this one on eBay and I'm glad someone here got it. It's such a cool model especially in this finish. It's very sculptural indeed. For a long time I wasn't sure if it was made of actual wood.
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Post by redkiosk on Jul 29, 2021 10:12:21 GMT -5
I saw this on ebay myself and was debating on purchasing it, however I had other things to put my $$$ on. It is an amazing fan that I wish was sold for much longer. Happy that you got it so its beauty can be enjoyed by placing it in a well deserved spot in your home! I know someone who has an old MFC catalog, I might see if I can get acquisition of it. As of now, you can probably find some information using the wayback machine on the modern fan co website. web.archive.org/web/20001212090100/http://www.modernfan.com/Thanks Brian, That link to the payback machine did the trick! Dated sat 2000, it showed the eight fans that were currently available and the Orbis was one of them. It also stated that it was designed by Ron Rezek in 1991. That's seven years after it was designed that it was finally put into production (if 1998 was indeed when it was first offered). Still curious as to what the retail price of this fan was. The catalog page stated that it was "hand-turned and hand-finished by craftsmen" and the highly polished aluminum rotor and canopy were above and beyond their normal material and finishes. Didn't Beverly Hills Fan Co offer the Stratos in a highly polished finish at one time? Anyway, here's some pages I grabbed from the payback machine link… Attachment DeletedAttachment DeletedAttachment Deleted
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Post by redkiosk on Jul 29, 2021 14:24:46 GMT -5
I have an undated Modern Fan Co. catalog. It contains the following: Stratos (4 blades, sphere w/ thick, three-lobed downrod). Options: 20-watt downlight. 52" or 42". White or brushed silver. Needs extra sloped ceiling adaptor. Aurora (4 blades, like a Stratos with an inverted-conical skirt & blocky blade holders, same downrod). 20-watt downlight & 300-watt uplight (that's the skirt) included. 52". White. Needs extra sloped ceiling adaptor. Aero (4 blades, like a Stratos with egg-shaped housing, three separate flat downrods). Options: Opal glass light. 52" or 42". Bronze (almost black) w/ bleached wood or all-white. Needs extra sloped ceiling adaptor. Cirrus (3 blades, cylinder, rounded bottom, mounts directly with wide base). Built-in sloped ceiling adaptor. Options: Downlight. 52", 42" or curved plastic (scimitar-like) 50". White or brushed silver. Cirrus Short (3 blades, "pill" shape, thin downrod). Built-in sloped ceiling adaptor. Options: 20-watt downlight. 52", 42" or curved plastic 50". White or brushed silver. Nimbus (5 blades, curved-conical housing, thin downrod). Built-in sloped ceiling adaptor. Opal glass light included. Options: 52" or 42". Brushed silver w/ white, all-bronze, all-white. And your Orbis, but here called the Orion. The only option was 52" or 42" blades. Looks identical to yours in every way. Unfortunately, the catalog has no date or copyright details listed, only "designed by Ron Rezek" integrated into the logo. It gives the following contact information: The Modern Fan Co. 701 Mistletoe, Ashland, OR 97520 Phone: (541) 482-8545 To find a dealer: (888) 588-FANS Fax: (541) 482-8418 www.modernfan.comSorry to say, that's all I've got. I can't even recall when and where I got the catalog, but I'm quite sure it was new at the time. I was probably on vacation and visited a non-local lighting showroom that carried these. My local showroom chain, Seattle Lighting Fixture Co., did not, as far as I recall; they only sold Casablanca and, earlier, Homestead as well. Edit: the link Brian posted shows dates. The Stratos was 1988. Aurora, Cirrus, 1990. Orbis (Orion must be a later name) 1991 and originally in "blond maple" too. Cirrus Short, 1997, and a hugger version, 1999. The Eclipse (my catalog calls it the Aero) was also 1999. My catalog's name change of a fan that had its original name in '99 dates my catalog after that point. This catalog also shows three new fans for 2000: the 5-blade UFO and 4-blade (similar) Flute and Industry. Hey Jonasclark, Thanks for the info! I much appreciated the time you took to post that info. When you said "And your Orbis, but here called the Orion. The only option was 52" or 42" blades. Looks identical to yours in every way.", where actually is "here". I notice that you are in Seattle, but different names on products usually involves trademarks restrictions in a different county. Just curious, but thanks again for you info. Loving the Orbis, but just waiting for the wife to notice it. Maybe it's karma it should of been there from the git-go! Take care! Jim
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Post by Brian L. on Jul 29, 2021 16:21:41 GMT -5
Thanks Brian, That link to the payback machine did the trick! Dated sat 2000, it showed the eight fans that were currently available and the Orbis was one of them. It also stated that it was designed by Ron Rezek in 1991. That's seven years after it was designed that it was finally put into production (if 1998 was indeed when it was first offered). Still curious as to what the retail price of this fan was. The catalog page stated that it was "hand-turned and hand-finished by craftsmen" and the highly polished aluminum rotor and canopy were above and beyond their normal material and finishes. Didn't Beverly Hills Fan Co offer the Stratos in a highly polished finish at one time? Anyway, here's some pages I grabbed from the payback machine link… No problem! Super cool you were able to take out some very nice screencaps of the pages from the site. Its interesting how a fan was designed quite a few years before it was put into production. I can assume a design patent search could probably help with pinpointing the date a little better as well. I feel like maybe a search of some online retailers that carried MFC might be able to bring up some price points. One thing for sure is that price sheets always tend to vanish over time which is unfortunate.... I wonder if Modern Fan Co happens to have documentation leftover from their early days... And yes, I believe Beverly Hills Fan Company did end up making a Chrome/Polished Aluminum Stratos at one point. (Images from an online listing. Not mine)
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Post by redkiosk on Jul 30, 2021 6:11:25 GMT -5
Thanks Brian,
Those are great pics! Looks like a few stills from a SciFi movie where the homeowner finds something "alien" hanging from his front porch one morning.
That's the strangest installation for a Stratos (let alone the polished one) that I've ever seen. Sure makes that old porch "POP" though.
Jim
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