Once you could and you would
write a letter daily
Seal it up and wander down
and post it in mail..... he
would come along and empty the red
letterboxes twice a day
and that letter would be on it's way
to places far and wide
In a house somewhere the sound would
come of the letterbox pushed open
and onto the mat would fall all that
the postie had bespoken
but now it's true for me and you
a letter come most rarely
it's usually ad's for the current fads
no one wants ! well barely
But that letter plate we still need
sitting on our door, watching
waiting eagerly for a letter
one or more!
So why is it that fashions not
taken sight of this
and letter plates and their mates
been given all the swish
That can be found when you look
around at , numbers, letters,knobs!
the second rate letter plate is
plain and just a blob
Of brass or chrome or black iron
flat and lacking style
Where oh where can it be
try looking to the past!
Way back then style was king
Queen and Princess too
Art Nouveau , Arts and Craft ,
Art Deco too!
But no so now , it's all flat and plain
and everywhere you look the same!
My spirits sad that no letter plate can
be had
That's shines a light to style
So I'm off to search
I could be gone a while.....
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I have spent the last couple of days trying to find a letter plate for the new door ! As you have read above , finding one that will fit our new door that has a little style to it, is like looking for a needle in a haystack!
They are all exactly the same! some will come in both brass and chrome or nickel or the black iron but if once even looks like it may fit and have a touch of character you can guarantee it will be in bright shiny brass which I cannot have since I have a chrome lock already fitted and I do prefer chrome to brass.
I have found and fallen for quite a few gorgeous OLD letter plates only to find that the opening for the letters are about five inches, if you are lucky!
Like this one, a nice curve to the top and a little shaping to the bottom but the opening is only 5 inches or so and it's brass.
This one is very stylish but small opening!
A few have tried to follow a little the style of the past but made the letter plates enormous like this one below
Thought I'd cracked it when I found this one ! But it comes in two sizes, the big size is too big for the place on the door but does have a nice 8 inch opening but the smaller one that would fit only as a 5 inch opening!!
another lovely one, perfect size with good sized opening Art Deco style but bright brass.. so a no go.why don't they do a chrome one?
So if I want style I will have to buy one with a small opening in which case I could go for an antique original letter plate or I have to settle for a plain flat oblong plate in chrome but that is big enough to take today's size of post?
Paul says we could do away with having a letter plate and just have a post box on the brick column at the side of the door.
But I like letter plates, so maybe I'll have both ! A nice original antique letter plate and a post box to take anything that won't go through a five inch opening!
I found this lovely copper one, great style and shape but again only a five and a half inch opening but look at that curve on the knocker/handle so I bought it!! I will how it looks when it arrives against the door and the chrome key pull and then we'll have to make the decision ! Do we go with this old and wonderful letter plate and add a post box for larger items or does this go on mt Sasha Studio door and we have a plain flat letter plate..... I'll let you know ......
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Alas, letter plates were designed for letters. Two or three sheets of paper in an envelope at most, but covered in tiny, well-formed script and bringing all the news of friends or family. Or, perhaps a post card or Christmascard or two.
ReplyDeleteNow, with email and mobile phone calls, the letter is almost an historic item and has been replaced by unsolicited catalogues selling tat and bills we don't want! But you can't keep an affectionate message received by phone in a chocolate box (not that modern chocolate boxes are worth keeping anyway) or tied up with ribbons. Letter writing is an art form that we have done away with in out hasty life style....perhaps we should bring it back, just a few of the followers of the SashaVillage? Bertie, is about to write to Valentine ..... look out for ink blots and smudges, Mrs. Mum!
Those were the days, when people wrote chatty letters, that dropped unexpectedly onto the mat! And you spent a while drafting your reply. Now it's all emails and texts!
DeleteThe cost of post does not help, making it expensive to just send a few cards
I have all my letters from Paul when we were courting still tucked away in a box :)
Valentine would welcome a letter from his pal Bertie, he's always interested in whats happen over in Wales!
Decisions, decisions, decisions! Poor you...as though you haven't had enough of them of late with those wallpaper choices...but I'm sure you'll choose one that enhances the new front door and then add a larger letter box to the side wall so getting the best of both worlds!
ReplyDeleteA SMART letter plate is absolutely essential to a OOAK front door don't you agree?
PS. ...Though I do so miss those wonderful chatty, handwritten letters from family and friends popping through whatever kind of door plate you had!
It's the decisions that slow the process down , well that and not being able to clone Paul, so he can carry on working on house while sitting working for a living!
DeleteIf my lovely old copper letter plate looks right with the door and it's chrome locks, I think it will be a letter box on the wall for all the larger post!
I totally agree that the Letter plate MUST be perfect or as near as dame it!
I totally agree also with your ps :)
The other day when I was looking for something in the garage I accidently came across a whole pile of my many ex-boyfriend's and ex-husband's letters (I didn't know/remember that I had even saved them!!!)
DeleteSpent that evening very pleasantly reading and reminiscing... but need to get tough with myself and put them through the shredder, as there is more than enough clutter here with all those Sasha Dolls and their HUGE amount of STUFF stuffed everywhere!
PS. Mine here is a boring flat brass one that has somewhat rusted due to lack of polishing over the years. Perhaps that is why it no longer attracts those lovely looked-forward to handwritten letters...but hopefully it won't be too long now before those Christmas cards with their little attached annual messages start falling through.
DeleteIt is nice when you find them to have a little read and remember :) Kendal although you have many Sasha's most of their clothes are in three large boxes ! Which is way better than the 14 boxes of varying sizes that mine are in!
DeleteYes soon that letter plate will be swinging back and forth when December arrives... which reminds me I really MUST sort out a Sasha Christmas card this year!
The FOUR large A1 boxes in my bedroom ONLY contain their clothes!
DeleteTheir footwear are in six single layered Hobbycraft boxes in a drawer under the spare bed. Their furniture (various chairs, tables and a bench) is either dotted around the house or stored in boxes in the garage and conservatory.
Their horse is stabled in the garage, as is their Sasha sized Christmas Tree whilst the shop front remains on display in the conservatory.
Their backdrops are rolled up and stored in the top of one of my wardrobes. The various backboards are folded behind one of the lounge settees.
Their toys are in numerous boxes in the other drawer under the spare bed with more in numerous deep A3 boxes in the bookcases in the conservatory.
Their hair ribbons, slides etc. are in a three tired sewing style box in my bedroom sitting on top of their wooden Ikea bed.
Their rocking horses are out in the lounge and their baby grand piano in the top of the spare bedroom's wardrobe along with yet more boxes of their toys.
Get the picture!!! The bungalow is filled to the brim with Sasha stuff, stuff and yet more stuff!
Goodness Kendal ! I did not realise just how much you'd 'hidden' about your house! I know your dolls stand in pride of place around and about but sounds like you could give me a run for the money with all those 'extras' !
DeleteThe problem is we cannot resist if we see the perfect item for them, makes it very hard to move about at times.
I'll happily call in next year and help you sort out your 'stuff' and you can take photos and list it on the bazaar, just let me know :) xx
Thanks for the offer! I may very well take you up on it if I'm not getting very far with it on my own.
DeleteGathered when you only mentioned the three large boxes that you hadn't realised the vast amount stuffed away here and there and which makes finding the odd item needed almost impossible!
I don't think I have ever given much thought to the letter box before! I found myself looking at all the doors I passed on the way to the Co-op this morning!
ReplyDeleteGood luck in your quest to find the perfect one for your new front door.
This is what I mean, they are so easy to overlook when they are all just flat oblong pieces of metal placed at a certain height o the door! Hopefully you spotted one that stood out from the crowd on your shopping trip! :)
DeleteThank you This refurb seems to involve a few quests! lol
We also a difficulty finding a letter slot that was attractive, well made and large enough for modern mail. I think there are fewer choices for nice door hardware in the US than the UK. I agree that a letter slot is nicer than a mailbox. And of course the boys love it because as soon as they hear the clank of the flap, they are out in the hall to look at the mail. They always think there will be something for them.
ReplyDeleteWelcome :) It's frustrating isn't it! you just want something nice with a touch of style but everyone who produces these things goes for quick and easy! We probably only have more due to the old ones we can refurb but are really too small!
DeleteExactly our Sasha/Gregor family just love the sound of flap, they are always convinced it's for them and in this house it usually is!!
Forget about having a letter flap/box Dee...make it much more challenging for the postman :)
ReplyDeleteI have considered that it would save on all that junk mail if I didn't have one .....but then I'd miss out on those rare... cough cough... Sasha and doll parcels that appear.... ;)
DeleteGood luck Dee in finding a great letter plate. I love the one above that says "LETTERS" and has the great design too. Have you tried ebay in the States? Only a box away.... ;) xxx
ReplyDeleteThank you Ginger. I believe I have the right one :) just need Paul to finish painting the door so it can go on! :) xxx
DeleteHave you chosen yet? Here in Spain people don't tend to have letter boxes and the postal workers just poke the letters through the door but we have a shiny black mail box attached to our front door and I think we started a trend because more and more of them are popping up around the neighbourhood!!
ReplyDeletexx
Yes , It's the last one shown the copper one and it's still waiting for Paul to put it on! But we do have a black shiny mail box, probably like the one you have, already on the wall and the post lady's been using that since we put it up, however the paperboy with the local free paper just left it on the front door step!But since Paul had not put the outside lights on the poor kid probably wonder what an earth was going on and didn't couldn't even see a black box in the dark!
DeleteThat's good you setting a trend in your neighbourhood! xx