This is a very old cast metal letter holder. It is a famous old design that was made by Bradley and Hubbard. It is one of their really old designs made of cast pot metal with gloss black enamel paint. In later years, they also made this design in brass. I cant tell you exactly when this letter holder was made but it is pre-1930s; most likely made between 1910 to 1930.
A great example of Victorian styling and, the letter holder has two fixed panels on 45 degree angles to hold mail. This is an original old B&H design and is not a new reproduction. The paint is old and wear spots show the heavy silver pot metal below. It also retains quit a bit of the original dust deep in the recessed areas. It can easily be cleaned but I will leave to the buyer just how much they want to clean.
Notice the six screws on the bottom. They are pre-1930s head straight head screws; not Phillips heads. They are original to the piece.
One note about the mold : I always look for tiny imperfections because in my many years of collecting old cast metal objects, there were almost always slight mold imperfections. It was very common and is widely accepted as the way things were back then. If you look at my photos, you will see a scallop shell design in the middle of the base on one side. On the other side, that scallop shape either did not take well, being pulled out of the mold, or the mold was not the same on both sides.
The letter holder is strong and solid with no cracks or lose parts; it is sturdy and sits level and flat. The letter holder weighs 1.6 lbs. It measures 5" T x 7 1/4" L x 4 1/4" W. The letter holder is not signed but it well known that many early Bradley & Hubbard cast wares were not signed.
Note : Reproductions are easy to spot for someone like myself as Ive collected antique and vintage metal wares for over 30 years. Reproductions have simulated wear that is painfully obvious it is simulated. The wear on this piece is all totally natural and not contrived in any way.
