A letter plate is the metal fitting mounted on a front door to frame a slot through which letters and post can be delivered, usually with a hinged flap to keep out draughts and rain. Commonly called a letterbox in Britain, it is one of the key elements of period door furniture, alongside the knocker, handle and doorbell.
Letter plates became common in Britain after the introduction of the uniform Penny Post in 1840, which greatly increased the volume of mail delivered to private houses, and they were soon standard on new front doors. Victorian and Edwardian letter plates were made in cast brass, bronze and cast iron, often with decorative borders, the word Letters cast into the flap, or combined with a knocker or bell pull. Art Nouveau and Art Deco designs followed in the early twentieth century. Collectors and restorers of period houses look for original or appropriate period letter plates in good condition, with flaps that close properly and fixing bolts intact. Reclaimed letter plates are widely available from architectural salvage dealers, and they should be sized carefully to match existing door openings and door thickness.
