My Vintage Mailbox

Sunday, May 27, 2012






I saw an idea recently where someone had used a mailbox in their garden for storing garden gloves, small tools and other things.  Seemed like such a neat idea so I've had that on my mind.  Well, Saturday morning on my way to run an errand I saw someone had set up a junk sale in a vacant lot next to the highway and there was some rusty junk sitting around.  I never stop at garage sales (have never, ever found anything I wanted).  But, for some reason I was compelled to stop.  Sitting right there front and center was this mail box!   I picked it up and said "how much"?  I think I would've paid just about anything I wanted it so bad.  However, when the woman told me it was four dollars I was practically doing cartwheels!    



The problem now is this:  I love it too much to put it way down at the bottom of the hill in my garden.  So....  I'm on the look-out for another mailbox for the garden - one that isn't this cool!!!




I love how the U.S. MAIL letters are imprinted on the door.  I love how huge and heavy it is.  I love how the flag still works.  I love that it is all  chippy and old and amazing.  I love that I found it.  I love everything about it! 





On the back it says MFD by Milcor Steel Co., Milwaukee, Wis.  I tried to do a little research on the company and see if I could age the box, but I really couldn't find out any information on it.  But I love that it was from the era when everything we bought was made in the United States.



Isn't it just the greatest thing?   Right now I have it sitting in my flower bed and I just smile and smile when I walk by!  I will find the perfect home for it when our house is built.  I'm thinking on one of our huge Southern porches.  What would you do with it???? 



This week I am linking to the following fabulous parties:



20 comments:

  1. Dear Dori-kins,
    I love it! Now, I do have to say I'm shocked that you have never found something at a garage sale as I have to avoid them for the opposite reason... finding WAY too much stuff I love and want.

    We used a mailbox to hold cards on our wedding gift-table so they always have a special meaning to me now. The garden idea is a cute one but, like you, I would prolly end up with it in my house... probably in my craft room holding darling paper ephemera I want to use in other projects but hate tucking away where I can't see them.

    Love,
    Rusty is real in NE

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  2. I love your mailbox! I'm going to be on the lookout for one now... :-)

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  3. Love the mailbox!! I have my grandpa's that they used for many many years. It was in my garden at the house in town but I never got it up after we moved. Now I will be thinking about just the right spot for it when we move again! I love the garden idea...I can imagine it on our back deck... On the other hand I love Raimie's comment about using it inside too! I never thought of that!.

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  4. I think you found a great treasure!! Love it!

    I so understand feeling somewhat giddy over something like that and you just want to keep looking at it.

    If you don't mind, I am going to do a post today about your cherry limeade and will be linking back to you and your blog. Hope that's okay.

    God bless, Amy

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  5. I Love, Love your mailbox!! By the door would be nice..see it often. Wouldnt it be sweet to dec for the seasons? I see valentines spilling out, or flowers..just love the reminder of a time when going to the MAILBOX was exciting and included taking a walk!

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  6. I love everything about it too!!! I love the idea of using it to store gloves and other gardening supplies in! I am always leaving my gloves out and then I don't want to use them for fear of spiders hiding within, but this would be spider-proof ;)

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  7. Years ago I found an oversized mailbox that I keep by the pool to hold rolled up beach towels and lotions. Another one similar to yours sits by the shed to hold small gardening tools. I think they are just pretty sitting around! Came over from Shabby Nest.

    Distressed Donna Down Home

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  8. Nothing better than a great vintage find!

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  9. How cool is that! I Love it.
    I live 2 hrs from Milwaukee.
    I am your newest follower.

    sandraallen260@centurytel.net

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  10. I love it! What a fabulous find! I never realized I wanted a mailbox until now! LOL! And I would now love to have one by our shed for the exact reason you mentioned, I think it would be adorable! Thanks for the inspiration! :)

    Leanne @ Because (I think) I Can

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  11. dear proud (lucky) owner of the RED mailbox,

    I have a hard time passing up anything red, rusty, peely, the more rustic the better.....and a mailbox? well it's a good thing you got there before me. (not that I get down your way much.....hee hee!)

    Red is my oldest best colored-friend.

    love,
    Red & me
    sittin in a tree...
    in
    NE

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  12. OMG this is gorgeous... I love mail boxes but never found one at a garage sale!
    I would actually try to find a stand for it and put in front of my door for real mail! My mail box is mediocre...
    Or maybe I could even screw it on the wall (where the mediocre is. lol)!
    Congratulations on your first garage sale find!!! That's the beauty of it - you never know what you are going to find!

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  13. I wish I could get buyers like you to my sales. I have a barn full of rusty old junk.
    Mainly I love your enthusiasm.

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  14. I am looking for a rusty,lightly dented metal mailbox.

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  15. If you have a mailbox on a post, there are light canvas wraps, which can be bought locally, that can just be draped over the mailbox. Most are weighted down on the edges to keep the wrap in place. The main advantages to these wraps is they come in a wide variety of designs and are easily changed. This means that you can change the look of your mailbox with the seasons and even with the holidays by buying different wraps for different seasons and holidays.

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  16. Those old Milcor boxes date to the 1930's. I know of one where the installer carefully painted his name and the date June 26, 1935 on the bottom. Gibralter and others make boxes the same size, but the steel is much thinner. With these, the steel is smooth but there are four vertical ribs. They went to thinner steel in later years, which was horizontally corrugated, but had the four ribs. More recent ones dropped the ribs but have the thin, horizontally corrugated steel. They weigh maybe a third of what the old ones did and would seem very unlikely to ever last 80 years!

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  17. Manufactured between 1930 and 1948.

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