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Catalog Data

Maker:
unknown  Search this
Physical Description:
wood (overall material)
lead (overall material)
Measurements:
board: 14 9/16 in x 11 in x 1 1/8 in; 36.98875 cm x 27.94 cm x 2.8575 cm
hands: 9 7/8 in x 8 7/8 in x 1 3/8 in; 25.0825 cm x 22.5425 cm x 3.4925 cm
overall: wt 74 oz
Object Name:
fire mark
Place made:
United States: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
Date made:
1761
Description (Brief):
Beginning in the 1750s, some American insurance companies issued metal fire marks to policyholders to signify that their property was insured against fire damage. The fire marks bore the name and/or symbol of the insurer, and some included the customer’s policy number. The company or agent would then affix the mark to the policyholder’s home or business. For owners the mark served as proof of insurance and a deterrent against arson. For insurance companies the mark served as a form of advertising, and alerted volunteer firefighters that the property was insured.
The Philadelphia Contributionship for the Insurance of Houses from Loss by Fire issued this fire mark for policy number 614 to Mathias LePolt of 36 North 3rd Street, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania around 1760. The fire mark consists of the company’s symbol cast in lead showing four hands clasped at the wrist attached to a shield-shaped wooden backing. The Philadelphia Contributionship was established in 1752, becoming the first successful fire insurance company in America. Benjamin Franklin was one of its founding members. The Contributionship began as a mutual insurance company and this concept is represented by its “Hand in Hand” fire mark. The Philadelphia Contributionship is still in operation.
Location:
Currently not on view
Subject:
Insurance  Search this
Related Publication:
McCosker, M.J.. The Historical Collection of Insurance Company of North America
Credit Line:
Gift of CIGNA Museum and Art Collection
ID Number:
2005.0233.0352
Accession number:
2005.0233
Catalog number:
2005.0233.0352
See more items in:
Home and Community Life: Fire Fighting and Law Enforcement
Cultures & Communities
Advertising
Work
Firefighting Collection
Fire Marks
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ac-5c62-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1341462