Brass Number Display Board by The Slaymaker Lock Co. (not authenticated)

This is a vintage or antique store display board featuring cast brass numbers one through zero, presented on a dark brown textured wooden or composition backing board. The physical characteristics include ten individual raised brass numerals individually attached with small metal pins or rivets. The top of the board features bold, light-colored lettering that reads 'SOLID CAST BRASS' enclosed within a rectangular border, while the bottom margin bears the text 'The Slaymaker Lock Co. - LANCASTER, PA., U.S.A.' in a similar sans-serif typeface. The brass numerals exhibit a noticeable, natural patina with areas of verdigris, tarnishing, and surface oxidation consistent with age and environmental exposure. The dark backing board shows minor surface scuffs, wear along the edges, and slight fading. A small wire hanger is attached at the top center for wall mounting. The craftsmanship is typical of mid-to-late 19th or early 20th-century hardware store point-of-sale displays. The attribution to The Slaymaker Lock Co. is based entirely on the legible stamped text printed at the lower margin of the board, though the piece itself remains unauthenticated regarding its exact manufacturing date or original factory context.

Based on what I can see in the provided image, this store display board presents features consistent with late 19th or early 20th-century hardware point-of-sale merchandising, specifically bearing lettering and markings associated with The Slaymaker Lock Co. The board holds ten raised cast brass numerals showing a natural patina, verdigris, and surface oxidation, paired with a dark textured backing board and a wire hanger. However, I cannot verify from a photo alone whether the materials, mounting pins, and printed texts are period-correct or modern decorative reproductions, as visual inspection cannot test metal composition or age-related structural integrity. The estimated value range of $250 to $450 assumes that the attribution to The Slaymaker Lock Co. is correct and that the display is a period piece. General market demand for vintage hardware displays and trade signs remains steady among collectors of advertising and store fixtures. If physical inspection were to reveal this piece as a modern replica, copy, or decorative reproduction rather than a period item, the market value would drop significantly, typically falling into the $40 to $80 range. To establish a more precise evaluation and assess authenticity, an in-person examination by a qualified expert in antique hardware and advertising displays would be necessary, alongside material analysis and research into known company catalog examples.