Otis Elevator Company Cage or Birdcage Elevator Plaque, Sign Tag. Seen cage elevators that housed this plaque called both. Looks too clean so likely it was cleaned up not too long ago. Back showing nice age and patina! Found some interesting info online about this plaque true or not you be the judge and this famous historic company at bottom of page.
This looks Bronze or brass and nonmagnetic. Found some fun reading about this famous company from the great Wikipedia at bottom of page also!
Measures 5 1/2″ tall x 9″ wide and hair over 1/8″ thick. Nice weight is 1 pound 9 oz.
Has scratches, scuffs, stains, dings and still looks great! Cool historic find. 1899 could be the date or data number. Either way these don’t come up that often and when they do their snatched up for restoration of Cage elevators.
Guessing made 1899. Cool Old Otis Elevator Company Plaque!! Please check pictures for description and condition.
The booming elevator market
In 1852 Elisha Otis invented the safety elevator, which automatically comes to a halt if the hoisting rope breaks. After a demonstration at the 1853 New York World’s Fair, the elevator industry established credibility.
Otis elevator in Glasgow, Scotland, imported from the U.S. in 1856 for Gardner’s Warehouse, the oldest cast-iron fronted building in the British Isles.
The Otis Elevator Company was founded in Yonkers, New York, in 1853 by Elisha Otis. When Elisha died in 1861, his sons Charles and Norton formed a partnership and continued the business. During the American Civil War, their elevators were in high demand due to the shipment of war materials. Businesses throughout the United States purchased them. In 1864, with the partnership of J.M. Alvord, the company became known as Otis Brothers & Co. In 1867, Otis opened a factory in Yonkers, New York, the city where the company was founded.
In 1925, the world’s first fully automatic elevator, Collective Control, was introduced. In 1931, the company installed the world’s first double-deck elevator in New York City.
Otis opened a factory in Bloomington, Indiana, in 1965.
Fayette S. Dunn became president of the company in 1964, succeeding the late Percy Douglas.
