Ideal gas shut off

IDEAL GAS SHUTOFF 

The directions on the cover of this gas shut off valve use a mix of sans serif and serif fonts along with some odd kerning to make all the text fit on the cover.  Although heavily painted over, they can still be read:

IDEAL

GAS

SHUT OFF

TO SHUT OFF GAS

OPEN DOOR

PULL HANDLE HARD

D.G.C.TRAP & VALVE CO.

NEW YORK

The door requires a key to open it.

The company started out in 1894 as the Albert Cryer & Co. and was then located at 96 Centre Street in New York City.  By 1915, it was renamed the D. G. C. Trap & Valve Co. and remained, at different office locations, in Manhattan until about 1953; shortly thereafter it became part of the Encor Corporation of Belleville, New Jersey.

For a a more detailed history of the company, and a different cover, visit this Ideal web page.