Elevator Floor Indicator

Q: We recently removed this elevator floor indicator from our wall to paint. We originally thought it was a replica but now we think it might be an antique. Can you help us identify and value this item?

A: The first commercial elevators were used to carry freight in the 1800s. In 1852 Elisha Otis invented an automatic safety brake that prevented the elevator from falling if the chain broke. He founded his company in 1853 and installed the first passenger elevator in a New York department store in 1857. Customers avoided using it, thinking it wasn’t safe, and it was shut down after three years. Otis invented a steam engine to power elevators in 1861. Electric elevators were used beginning in 1889. Your floor indicator starts at “B” (basement) and goes to 8. It may have been used in a department store. Dial floor indicators like yours with a sweep arrow were used in many commercial buildings in the early 1900s. Replicas are being made today in brass, bronze, and cast aluminum for use in the restoration of historical buildings. The value of an original antique elevator floor indicator depends on the material, design, and condition. Some sell for about $100 and up. A cast iron dial with brass floor indicators and sweep arrow,10 inches by 15 1/2 inches, sold online for $400. A larger one, 12 3/4 by 24 inches, sold at auction for $750.