Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Near 29th & Old Spanish Trail
David Aber took and sent these photos on May 1st, 2017. He wrote:
…
They aren’t true mailboxes any more. They’ve been repurposed. I doubt the Postmaster General would be very happy to find out their new use.
…
The first Doggiebox (1, 2 & 3) was found in the 1800 Block of S. Sunburst Dr. The second Doggiebox (6, 7 & 8) was found in the 1500 Block of S. Desert Vista Dr. When you see the photos you’ll understand why there isn't an address. Both are in the same neighborhood, so I’m guessing they were put there by the Neighborhood Association.
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
10610 East Camino Quince
David Aber found this Fire Truck mailbox. He wrote that "It’s a bit hard to tell for certain, but I think it … is a mailbox cover. Looks like it was made with a mix of hand-crafting and used parts."
I like the way that the grille seems to open for mail. It makes me wonder what USPS letter carriers think when they make a delivery to a creative box like this… I guess it's obvious where to put the mail?
His photos are from May 1, 2017. Thanks, as always, Dave!
I like the way that the grille seems to open for mail. It makes me wonder what USPS letter carriers think when they make a delivery to a creative box like this… I guess it's obvious where to put the mail?
His photos are from May 1, 2017. Thanks, as always, Dave!
Tuesday, November 7, 2017
2021 South Sunburst Drive
It's a great box, but what is it?
David Aber, who snapped this photo on May 1, 2017, wrote "The Housebox (or, it could be a church or a schoolhouse?)" and that "it’s a mailbox cover and appears to me to be hand-crafted." (By "mailbox cover", we mean, typically, a printed layer of plastic that's put over the mailbox — vs. paint.) We don't aim to show stand-alone mailbox covers that are probably ordered from a factory — or other standard mailboxes— just Tucson originals.
David Aber, who snapped this photo on May 1, 2017, wrote "The Housebox (or, it could be a church or a schoolhouse?)" and that "it’s a mailbox cover and appears to me to be hand-crafted." (By "mailbox cover", we mean, typically, a printed layer of plastic that's put over the mailbox — vs. paint.) We don't aim to show stand-alone mailbox covers that are probably ordered from a factory — or other standard mailboxes— just Tucson originals.
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
10619 East Placita Los Reyes
Here's a closeup of one side of this hand-painted box:
Next, the other side. I notice two things about it. First, the scene on the mailbox is painted over the flag. Most mailboxes have a flag that doesn't blend in with the scene. Second, the house number is written on the plastic newspaper tube underneath the box. The number doesn't seem to be anywhere else (including on the other side of the tube — which I didn't show because it looks like, well, a plastic tube):
David Aber snapped these on May 1, 2017.
Next, the other side. I notice two things about it. First, the scene on the mailbox is painted over the flag. Most mailboxes have a flag that doesn't blend in with the scene. Second, the house number is written on the plastic newspaper tube underneath the box. The number doesn't seem to be anywhere else (including on the other side of the tube — which I didn't show because it looks like, well, a plastic tube):
David Aber snapped these on May 1, 2017.
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
2201 South Avenida Guillermo
David Aber calls that one the Orcabox (because of the swimming orca). He wrote that the owner saw him photographing the mailbox and came out to ask what the h*** he was doing. ;) Once they got to talking, the owner said that his daughter had painted the box. She's talented, eh?
Here's the other side:
This is the second mailbox David found on April 26th.
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
128-136 East 17th Street
This mailbox is an amazing hodge-podge. The front of the cinder-block post has bluish tiles in different patterns. On the top edge, a green stone plaque has the name Montaño’s. Wrapped around that is a steel vine with a butterfly on top!
This was the last — and most eclectic — of the four mailboxes I spotted on January 12th.
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Marvelous Meyer #2: 551 South
Next in the series of mailboxes on the 500 block of South Meyer Avenue (here's the first) is this one overflowing with mail. This was an easy find on January 12th.
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
Marvelous Meyer #1: 555 South
For some reason, neighbors on this block have some fun mailboxes by their doors. (The Barrio Viejo is a creative part of town.) On the left side of this door is the house number:
The mailbox is on the door itself:
I walked through this artistic block on January 12, 2017.
The next mailbox in the series will be on the blog August 29th.
The mailbox is on the door itself:
I walked through this artistic block on January 12, 2017.
The next mailbox in the series will be on the blog August 29th.
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Thursday, July 20, 2017
Thursday, July 13, 2017
Thursday, July 6, 2017
8649 East Woodland Road
You probably aren't surprised that David Aber named this “Horsebox.”
To make this even better, here's the other side — with a real horse in the background:
He sent these photos on April 19th, which is the same day that his camera says he took them. Thanks!
Update (March 12, 2021): Four blocks east is Theraputic Riding of Tucson, with lots of horses — and horse murals. (Click there to see it on the Tucson Murals Project blog.)
Thursday, June 29, 2017
8401 East Sarnoff Place
That mailbox is one of the type you can't pin down exactly. David Aber (who sent the photos on April 13th) saw it as a truck. When I saw it, the ladder reminded me first of a fire truck. (Also see the bulb on the roof: is it a flashing "emergency" light? There's another view in the photo below.) But, hmmmmm, could the curved bar above the wheels have something to do with a railroad caboose? Whatever: You can see that I obviously have too much time on my hands.;-)
Here's a view from the other side:
Thursday, June 22, 2017
7218 East Sylvane Drive
We usually don't show saguaro mailboxes/posts here. But, as David Aber wrote: “Its sheer size and gaping maw caught my attention.”
I got curious what was in the "maw"… so I zoomed his photo in to that part:
He sent the photos on April 13th, which is also the day that I think he took them. Great sleuthing, Dave!
I got curious what was in the "maw"… so I zoomed his photo in to that part:
He sent the photos on April 13th, which is also the day that I think he took them. Great sleuthing, Dave!
Thursday, June 15, 2017
8232 East Brent Place
David Aber told me recently that, when he's headed somewhere, he takes different routes each time he can. That explains why he finds so many amazing mailboxes! (That's good advice for anyone — not just in a car, but especially on a bike. Side streets are probably safer and often more interesting.)
For obvious reasons, David calls this "Chainbox". He wrote: “I’ve seen a lot of creative ways to make a mailbox post, but never with a chain this large. It had to come from an enormous piece of equipment.”
(Then there's the rusted plow in the background that's been made to look like a bird.) His photo of the other side of the box is similar, without the bird.
He sent the photo on April 13th — the same date his camera's data says that he took it. Thanks!
Thursday, June 8, 2017
5212 East 2nd Street
David Aber took these two views of a beautiful mailbox he spotted. Even better, he made the montage above. (Thank you!)
Normally, Google only allows us to show fairly small photos (800 pixels on either side). As an experiment, I've tried putting David's original-sized photo (3853x2806 pixels) online at TucsonArt.info. It's just the raw photo file, nothing fancy. When you click below, the photo should open in a new tab or window. Depending on your web browser, you may see the whole photo squeezed to fit your screen, or just some of the photo. (If you see just some, look for a "zoom" setting.) When you're done viewing, just close that window or tab. Here it is:
Very large version of the photo above
If you have any problems with this large image, please let me know. (You can use the comment form on TucsonArt.info.) If I don't hear of any problems, I may try this with future mailboxes. Thanks.
Thursday, June 1, 2017
4828 North Placita Pajarillo
Back on October 3, 2016, Emily Mann of SolAZ.biz sent these photos of a new mailbox she'd designed and built:
She wrote:
Thanks for sharing your work, Emily. Everyone else: If you are (or know someone who is) a mailbox designer, I'd be glad to take photos and show them — or to publish your photos, as I did with these from Emily. The main requirement is that the mailbox be one-of-a-kind, not mass-produced.
She wrote:
I just installed a new mailbox with a solar-lighted base. It is on my side of town off of Snyder and Catalina Hwy. … I may be taking the integrated solar panel off and planting it away from the box. The owner thinks they may like it better that way.
Doesn’t the post look cool lit up?! There is an orange/red piece of glass in the top filtering the light.
Thanks for sharing your work, Emily. Everyone else: If you are (or know someone who is) a mailbox designer, I'd be glad to take photos and show them — or to publish your photos, as I did with these from Emily. The main requirement is that the mailbox be one-of-a-kind, not mass-produced.
Thursday, May 25, 2017
Rancho Linda Vista in Oracle
One hightlight of the annual Oracle Artist Studio Tour is Rancho Linda Vista. There are lots of artists — as in much of the rest of Oracle. We don't usually show mailboxes outside of Tucson, of course, but this one isn't that far away — especially for art lovers…
I'm not sure they use it anymore.
I'm not sure they use it anymore.
Thursday, May 18, 2017
2801 North Cloverland Avenue
If you're like me, you think of a flowerpot sitting on top of flagstone, don't you? David Aber found this mailbox that turns the idea upside-down: a mailbox and post, covered partly in flagstone, sitting on top of a pot of flowers.
David said that he didn't photograph the other side because it didn't have any flagstone.
The photo is from January 31, 2017. Thanks for the puzzle, Dave!
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