The collection
Table fan. A circle of aluminum surrounds a grey propeller with four fins and a pointed center. It leans back on an angled support behind.
2006

Propello Desktop Fan

Designed by
Dan Black (born 1974) and Martin Blum (born 1964)
Material
Cast aluminum, rubber
Produced by
Black + Blum, London, United Kingdom
Dimensions
27 x 26 x 18 cm

The Liliane and David M. Stewart Program for Modern Design, gift of the designers, 2010.57

Propello is one of the most successful products of Black + Blum, which designs and markets their own appliances.

As its name suggests, the form evokes a propeller. This energy-efficient desktop fan has soft rubber blades and produces a gentle breeze at a low enough speed that a guard cage is not required. Its ball-bearing motor is virtually silent, and its sleek, minimal, purely functional design is typical of the best of Good Design at midcentury. A tiny handle at the upper back and the two small front feet barely interrupt the perfect circle of the frame.