Cubist Post Box

Here's another of the many treasures to be found in the 1853 Gallery in Salts Mill, Saltaire: this wonderful pillar box red cube is actually a post box. It was made up to a design sketched by David Hockney in 1992, and was used for just one month as an actual post box in Salts Mill. That year, David Hockney designed a special commemorative stamp marking the European Single Market. The stamp was launched by the Royal Mail in Salts Mill and all letters posted in this box for one month were hand franked as a special issue to mark the event.

The inset shows the stamp itself, a special edition envelope with a picture of Salts Mill and Hockney's sketch for the post box. Probably the only time you could buy a Hockney print for 24p!

If you're in the market for a Hockney print now, there is a sale of some of his etchings (Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm) in the Victoria Hall from today until 10 April. Just think, you could not only be the proud owner of an original Hockney, but you'd have licence to use that immortal chat-up line: "Come up and see my etchings..."!

There's also chance to apply to be a volunteer steward for the BBC Antiques Roadshow, to be filmed in the Victoria Hall on 29 April, if anyone is interested!