Nutone makes bathroom vent fans, I suspect this may have been one of their first models.

Haha, thanks klem1 - it's definitely a fan switch, I just wasn't sure what else, if anything it did. :) Thanks Austin Air Companie - I found that from googling, but this isn't in a bathroom, it's in a basement, hence my curiosity. Perhaps I'll just have my handyman look at it.

Nutone have made many home products over the years (intercoms, fans, etc) but seem to mostly concentrate on fans now, as Ray says. If you can locate the source of the motor/fan noise, it may be self explanatory. Could be an early whole house fan but, being in the basement, was probably an early effort at basement ventilation/dehumidification.

Thanks sktn77a - I think I'll just turn it on today and see what happens :)

Is the basement finished?

ionized_gw -- kind of? Half of it is with vinyl floors and drywall and old ceiling tile (and a creepy bathroom), but the other half is concrete floors and utilities. It's really just glorified storage and a laundry room.

I'd look at it as they wanted to expand the living space a little and did not have the funds to do it elegantly. Maybe they wanted to have a party room. Given the era, if they wanted a party-load of adults down there, they would have wanted an exhaust fan to clear the tobacco smoke.

Forgive me if I am preaching to the choir. You already mentioned a dehumidifier to maybe you are aware. Do be careful about ventilating the basement to reduce humidity. Often more ventilation increases the problem because the dew point of the outdoor air s higher than basement temp.

Let us know where that fan is. This could be interesting!

Well, Googled "NuTone Model 861" and got this hit:

https://archive.org/stream/NutoneElectric/Nutone%20Electric_djvu.txt

In at least Chrome, use "CTRL+F" to get a search window and search 861...which gets 2 hits. The first says it's the correct three-way switch for an 8" Automatic Wall Fan for installation in wood or brick walls. The second is a reference for the 861 working with the 8060-8090 models...and the 8060 and 8090 still have parts available and are 8" models. Here's the 8060 parts page:

http://www.storeforparts.com/NuTone/8060

Looks pretty clear you got an exhaust fan control...

Click the "See other formats" link on the top left of the first link for some fun options and views. The listing is from 1961, FYI.

Since the address on the plate is Cincinnati 27, the plate dates between sometime in 1943 and June 30, 1963. As of July 1, 1963, the zipcode started being used The City + 1 or 2 digit address dates to WW2, and making things easier for inexperienced replacement mail clerks.

ionized_gw - thanks for the tip! It didn't occur to me that it could make it worse, so I appreciate the information. I think I just need to bite the bullet and spend the $$$ on a dehumidifier (currently searching craigslist for a cheap one). The fan is in the back of the basement, and must vent out under my deck. The twist - the fan intake (?) portion, which I assume would normally have a cover like this,

was instead covered by, I kid you not, a lid to a plastic take-away container (for "chicken salad") with some cracks in it!!

NorthTexan - that you for that research!

I've got a lot of NuTone stuff in my house from that era. It is mostly bathroom exhaust fans and heater/exhaust fan/lights. One of them is a curious contraption that looked to me, earlier, to have a way to make it into an HVAC supply, possibly in a controlled manner . Now, I have some more info. Please forgive a little hijacking the thread

Thanks for posting that link to the catalog, North Texan. I love that 50s ad stuff. I've got between 3 and 5 things out of that catalog in my house. First, some residual, nonworking intercom equipment. It looks like I have a 5000 series Hood-Fan in my kitchen with its dual squirrel cage blowers. Now that I know what the original lights looked like, I can take a close look at what the electrician/owner did when he hacked a 3' T12 luminaire in there. I've also got a "Fold-away" listed right under the 5000 series. The high wall mounted fan is probably a NuTone. I'll have to take a close look. The outside hood says NuTone and I feel it in my heart that it has a "patented no flutter shutter". I have, however, only a simple snap action switch ganged with a light switch in the same box. AMS, you want to sell your switch? I might be able to use it though I might need to pull some cable.

Now, the bathroom heater-fan might be a close miss. My dampered outlet is definitely at the top rather than the side. Mine also appears to do more than this and the model number is different, longer. Maybe the longer number is an indication of added functionality. On the other hand, perhaps my was modified by the owner for top outlet. The bimetal spring might be what closes the (original) louvre.

[Nutone Mod JA1C002[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/vintage-bath-vent-light-dsvw-vd~2390713)

Darn, I want a NuTone Food Center, no more tangled cords, no more wasted space, no more heavy lifting.

God bless NuTone for maintaining parts supplies for ancient equipment.

I have a Nutone 861 in our 1947 farmhouse and it is a ventilation fan above the stove.

I have this in my home. It is a 3 speed vent fan. "Start" turns the fan on high and gets it going. Med & Low are just slower speeds. Mine still works completely and is above my range top in the kitchen. I love it.