A rare hexagonal Edward VII PENFOLD pillar box outside the Post office in Arrowtown, New Zealand
PENFOLD pillar box – rare Edward VII type The most famous of the early pillar box designs is that named after the architect who designed it, J. W. Penfold. The hexagonal Penfold boxes come in three sizes and altogether there are nine different types. They are very widespread, with the biggest accumulations in London and Cheltenham, England. Others are spread across England, Ireland, India, British Guyana, Australia an New Zealand. Penfolds, distinguished by their hexagonal construction and Acanthus bud surmounting the cap, were originally exclusively city-based, but have now found their way into rural areas as well. About 300 were made, of which 150 survive in the UK. Penfold boxes in New Zealand are the only ones to bear the (VR) cipher of King Edward VII; all others have the cipher of Queen Victoria. This example of a Penfold is outside the Post Office in Arrowtown, New Zealand (South Island) and was manufactured by P&D Duncan, of Christchurch. Penfold type boxes were manufactured by them from the 1880's, though this Edward VII example dates between 1901 and 1910.
Size: 3536px × 5315px
Location: Arrowtown, South Island, New Zealand
Photo credit: © Martyn Annetts / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: acanthus, antiquity, arrowtown, box, bud, cast, casting, cipher, edward, edwardian, er, hexagonal, historical, iron, letter, mail, office, ornate, otago, penfold, pillar, post, postal, posting, rare, rarity, red, type, unusual, v11, vii, zealand
