Walter Grutchfield - E N Little's Sons

E. N. Little's Sons, West Broadway between Franklin and White Streets, New York, 1993

E. N. Little's Sons derives from the painting business opened by Edward N. Little (born England, Dec. 1832, immigrated 1848) at 62 West Broadway in New York City in 1872. Little's moved into 217 W. B'way in 1896.
By this time the business had been taken over by his sons: John N. Little (born New York, Sep. 1858), George F. Little (born New York, Dec. 1859), and Edward H. Little (born West Hoboken, NJ, Oct. 1861).
As early as 1885 Little had called himself "E. N. Little, the big painter".
The Little's Sons billed themselves as "The big painters & sign makers, paperhanging, kalsomining, etc. engraved silver & brass signs." (Kalsomine is a white or tinted wash that consists of glue, whiting or zinc white and that is used especially on plastering surfaces.)
The sign above mentions brass signs. (Click here for somewhat clearer image of sign.)
The last entry in the New York telephone directory for the Little's appeared in the Summer 1935 issue: "Little E N Sons pntrs & sign makers 217 W Bway WAlkr 5-4122." Presumably they went out of business later that year. The sign, then, could date from as early as 1896 or as late as the 1930's, and very likely was painted by the Littles themselves.