c. 1940's american industrial single-sided brushed aluminum letter sign salvaged from an old hospital research building undergoing demolition. the the oversized letter measures 18 inches in height. originally fabricated by the spanjer brothers, chicago, il. manufacturer markings are lightly embossed on the backside of the exterior facade letter. surface wear evident. founded by brothers william and henry j. spanjer in 1894, the spanjer sign company was one of the largest manufacturers of wooden letters and all wood sign material (sign boards, letters, scrolls, carvings, screen signs, wire signs, transparencies, etc.) in the country. in the wood material they dealt with the sign trade exclusively, doing the work for several thousand of the largest sign painters throughout the country. their business increased so that in 1905 a branch mill was established in chicago in order to come in closer touch with western business, which has increased the business, and also doubled the output with henry j. spanjer is in charge. some of the large letters manufactured by spanjer brothers were those for the singer sewing machine company sign located in ellzabethport, new jersey. each letter measured ten feet high with the sign itself being fifteen feet by six hundred feet long. their specialty was the manufacture of patterns and models for letters, tablets, figures, trademarks, monograms, etc., for casting in bronze. measures 19 inches tall.