Tiny 18-Inch Post Box Becomes Star Attraction at Prestigious Antiques Fair

A rare 18-inch-high post box, dating back to 1875, is emerging as a highlight at the LAPADA Berkeley Square Fair in Mayfair, London. This miniature pillar box is notable for being painted in the Royal Mail's standard red, a finish typically reserved for larger, full-sized post boxes, with smaller versions often left in natural wood.

Antiques dealer Mark Goodger is presenting the approximately quarter-scale pillar box, which he describes as an "early postal wonder." He explained that these smaller boxes were often used in country houses and villages, placed in foyers for residents and locals to post their mail. Goodger noted that the red paint makes this particular example exceptionally rare, stating it is likely "one of only a handful in existence."

The post box is priced at £17,500. For comparison, an oak version of a similar miniature letter box might sell for between £8,500 and £9,000. The item was created less than two decades after the first pillar post box was designed by English artist Richard Redgrave in 1856.

While the specific provenance of the miniature post box was not available when Goodger acquired it from another dealer, he indicated that this is not unusual for items of its age.

The LAPADA Berkeley Square Fair features thousands of rare and unusual items. Other notable pieces include a silver-mounted horn casket created in 1901, originally intended for Queen Victoria but presented to King Edward VII. This casket is on sale for £45,000. Additionally, a Leuchars coromandel decanter from 1880, featuring the crest of the McCarthy Reagh family, and a Henry Clay England papier-mâché tea caddy from 1793, adorned with a portrait of King Louis XVI, are also among the displayed artifacts.

Founded in 2009, the Berkeley Square Fair is organized by LAPADA, the largest association of art and antiques dealers in the UK. The event draws collectors, designers, museum professionals, and enthusiasts from around the globe.