DescriptionFour bronze sign plaques from the former United States Testing Co. building, 1415 Park Ave., Hoboken. Cast bronze, 8" high x 12" wide, depth varies. Original mounting bosses not present. 1. United States Testing Company Inc. 2. Laboratories Inc. 3. Nationwide Consumer Testing Institute, Inc. 4. Research and Testing Co. Inc. (weathered red paint) These signs were on the exterior of the building at 1415 Park Avenue, Hoboken, which was demolished in 2013. The building had been the corporate headquarters and central laboratories for the business that was in Hoboken from 1926 until the late 1990s (it always had branch offices and labs across the country.) Dates of first use are not known. Signs 1 and 2 are likely to date from the 1920s-1930s as they are the same in fabrication details (hollow back). Both are lettered with a serif typeface. Signs 3 and 4 are probably from 1962 or later as they were made in a slightly different manner (solid back) besides the obvious one of a different style of lettering (sans serif). The name used on sign 3, Nationwide Consumer Testing Institute, is likely from about 1962-1963 (first use was apparently about October 1962.)