9. Standard Oil Building

Standard Oil Building-Art Deco Mailbox-NYC.Image via Art Deco Mailboxes

The seriousness of the Standard Oil Building letter box is quite evident in its distinctive shape, as compared to the other Art Deco mailboxes–it could almost be something from a church. In miniature, it reflects the equally solid massing of the Standard Oil Building itself, situated along Bowling Green built in phases from 1885 to 1928 as the company acquired more land and more money. At the top there was once a cauldron of kerosene that burned 24 hours a day, reminding onlookers about the nature of the business inside.