original late 1920's ornamental cast bronze historic hotel new yorker maid service thumb turn latch with backplate. likely manufactured by the sargent hardware co., new haven, ct. features a naturally aged surface patina throughout. contains a small instructional enclosure with celluloid inset. the medallion-shaped interior guest room door plaque features a anthemion flanked by floriated scroll work. the banner below reads "the new yorker (hotel)" in deeply incised lettering. rotating turn latch original and intact. the 43-story new yorker hotel (481 eighth avenue, new york city) was built in 1929 and opened its doors on january 2, 1930. it was designed by the architectural firm of sugarman and berger. much like its contemporaries, the empire state building (opened in 1931) and the chrysler building (opened in 1930), the new yorker is designed in the art deco style that was popular in the 1920s and 1930s. the building's pyramidal, set-back tower structure largely resembles that of the empire state building, which lies just a couple of blocks east on 34th street. for many years, the new yorker hotel was new york's largest hotel with 2,500 rooms. in addition to the ballrooms there were ten private dining "salons" and five restaurants employing 35 chefs. the barber shop was one of the largest in the world with 42 chairs and 20 manicurists. there were 92 telephone operators and 150 laundry staff washing as many as 350,000 pieces daily. throughout the 1940s and 1950s the hotel hosted a number of popular big bands while notable figures such as spencer tracy, joan crawford and even fidel castro stayed here. the inventor nikola tesla spent the last ten years of his life in near-seclusion in suite 3327 (where he also died), largely devoting his time to feeding pigeons while occasionally meeting dignitaries. however, by the late 1960s, with both the passing of the big band era as well as the construction of more modern hotels, the hotel slowly lost profitability and closed its doors in april 1972. different proposals were offered for the use of the building, and in 1975 it was purchased by the unification church for $5,600,000. the church converted much of the building for church uses. under new management and following extensive renovation, the new yorker hotel re-opened its doors as a hotel on 1 june 1994. measures approximately 6 x 3 inches.