rare 19th century american victorian era ornamental cast iron exterior residential flush mount mail-box designed and patented by henry c. hart of detroit, mi. the highly stylized lockable mail box contains a lid, hinged door and panel featuring a lightly embossed representation of the head of satyr. embossed scrollwork is found around the door, flanking the satyr and along the lid. the bottom section is beveled and fluted on all sides towards the center containing a ball finial. the mailbox was fabricated by the henry c. hart mfg. co., detroit, mi. the brushed metal finish with metallic bronze overlay is uniform throughout. the original sheet tin liner affixed to the backside is intact. the henry c. hart manufacturing company was estabhshed in 1877 by mr. henry c. hart and associates as henry c. hart & co., afterward combining with his firm that of the clark hardware co., which was succeeded in november, 1884, by the henry c. hart manufacturing co., the incorporators of which had held a controlling interest in both the old firms. the range of manufacture carried on at the works covered a comprehensive line of hardware specialties, builders' hardware, cabinet hardware, sleeping and passenger car trimmings, etc. among other articles manufactured were enumerated screen window and door frames, hinges, mail boxes, corner irons, door springs, family scales, toy safes and banks,, coffee mills, mop sticks and heads, stove lid lifters, stove pipe dampers, wrenches, lemon squeezers, counting machines, and a vast number of other articles which were described in several large and elegant catalogues issued by the company throughout the years. measures 13 x 5 x 3 inches.