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Smithsonian sunburst Smithsonian National Postal Museum
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Orr & Painter mailbox

Object Details

Description
This mailbox was manufactured in the early 1880s by Orr & Painter, iron manufacturers from Reading, Pennsylvania. This cast iron box was designed to be hung anywhere, from telegraph poles to the sides of buildings. The U.S. Post Office introduced street letter boxes in selected eastern cities in the late 1850s. The red and blue paint scheme indicates that this mailbox was used through the 1950s or 1960s.
Data Source
National Postal Museum
Date
1885-1960s
Object number
1992.2002.56
Manufacturer
Orr and Painter
Type
Mail Processing Equipment
Medium
metal; paint
Place
Pennsylvania
See more items in
National Postal Museum Collection
Topic
Mail Processing
Record ID
npm_1992.2002.56
Usage
Not determined
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/hm865fdca5e-7f2e-48aa-ad4f-0202baed9817
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International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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HomeSmithsonian National Postal Museum

Visit »

Open daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
(Closed December 25)

Admission is always free!

2 Massachusetts Ave., N.E.
Washington, DC 20002

The museum's main entrance is located on the corner of First Street and Massachusetts Avenue NE. Other entrances have variable hours.

street map of Postal museum

Learn more
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Owney, the Railway Mail Service Mascot

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