A vintage advertising sign, featuring a great rendering of the Williamsburg Bridge, circa 1904. With a span of 1600 feet, the new bridge was the first to be constructed entirely of steel, and surpassed the nearby Brooklyn Bridge by four feet, remaining the longest in the world until the 1920's. With the bridge in the background, the Hildreth Varnish Co. plant is shown in a second image, surrounded by horse-drawn wagons. This historic and very detailed 20" x 15" sign was manufactured by Whitehead & Hoag, Newark, NJ, using their "Crystaloid" process, patented May 17, 1904. This was a material quite similar to celluloid, and the vivid original colors and fine detailing are very well preserved. Two holes intended for hanging appear in the upper border, perhaps as issued. Overall condition is VG; showing light wear along the edges and dogears at the corners, with some missing material. There is uniform surface crazing which does not really distract from the quality and artistry of the image. A wonderful image of one of the technological marvels of its day.