Latest additions to our Victoriana collection
Our latest addition is another Victorian box, although this is not obvious to a casual observer. That is because it has no Royal cipher and does not even say Post Office. This was, of course, a mistake. However it took eight years to rectify it. These boxes were made by Andrew Handyside of Derby in 1879 and are known as "Anonymous" pillar boxes as they carry no name. They are relatively scarce and exist in two types. The early one as you see here is a High Aperture box. That means the letter aperture is set high up just under the cap. Unfortunately this caused the odd letter to get stuck under the rim and caused problems, so the design was modified to place the aperture lower - roughly between the two beaded bands. These later ones are known as Low Aperture.
Ours is the Anonymous High Aperture PB 11/1 . You can see the tremendous depth to which these boxes extend below ground.
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| Before - The box has received a coat of red oxide primer and the base black sealer/primer |
After - Two coats of Post Office red and good coat of black Hammerite smooth finish, refitted lock and new Edwardian collection plate (with red "Next Collection") finished it off a treat. All ready for planting... Except that we never did plant it. It stays on the patio to show just how far down a pillar box goes.
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WB 82/1 Recessed collection plate on a lovely Smith & Hawkes (later Eagle Range & Foundry) box from 1874. The Butlins collection plate is in our collection, but this is a copy as the real plate will not fit this special size plate holder. It came via Stafford Railwayana Auction.
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This WB87/2 was formerly located in the wall of Southwold Railway Station on the Southwold Railway, a short-lived narrow gauge line which connected the seaside town to Hailsworth. After closure the box was removed and donated to a local GP. On his death, it passed into our collection.
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Gatcombe Park is home to the Princess Royal, but her Great-grandmother's box seen here dates from 1881 and is the rarer WB83/5 with raised maker's name Eagle Range & Foundry Co Ltd , Birmingham
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Click here to see it arriving...
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