post box

Freestanding round-plan cast-iron pillar postbox, installed c. 1905, having shallow domed cap, moulded corona, neck moulding, cylindrical shaft and moulded plinth base. Curved hinged door facing south incorporating letter slot with raised frame below and raised insignia of Edward VII above raised lettering 'Post Office'. Raised lettering to left of letter slot reads 'Next collection'; maker's details 'McDowall, Steven & Co. London and Glasgow' to base.

This high-quality piece of street furniture is illustrative of the mass-produced cast-ironwork created by the foundry of McDowall Steven & Co. Ltd. The royal insignia of Edward VII date the postbox to the early part of twentieth century, adding an artistic flourish to this utilitarian feature and representing a reminder of the Ireland's colonial past. This postbox constitutes a working, functional component of Dublin's postal heritage, its survival adding to the overall architectural character of the streetscape.