Early 20th-Century French Post Box w/ Light Yellow Patina 'Mougeotte'

A rare, weighty cast iron French post box from the early-twentieth century. The lovely pale yellow patina is wonderfully timeworn. Note the pretty scale-like detail on the roof. The notched wheels display the dates and days of the week. They can be easily rotated and a lever holds them in place. Note the crack on top as seen in the photos. The flap has also been replaced.

The "Delachanal Mougeotte" type letterbox was made and branded by the Delachanal Foundry. The box owes its nickname to Léon Mougeot, the postmaster general in charge of modernizing the administration. In 1899, the French Post Office, with a view to both practicality and design, discontinued its wooden and iron mailboxes, adopting a sturdy, secure cast-iron box in keeping with the aesthetics of the new century.