Cultures & Communities - Overview
Furniture, cooking wares, clothing, works of art, and many other kinds of artifacts are part of what knit people into communities and cultures. The Museum’s collections feature artifacts from European Americans, Latinos, Arab Americans, Asian Pacific Americans, African Americans, Gypsies, Jews, and Christians, both Catholics and Protestants. The objects range from ceramic face jugs made by enslaved African Americans in South Carolina to graduation robes and wedding gowns. The holdings also include artifacts associated with education, such as teaching equipment, textbooks, and two complete schoolrooms. Uniforms, insignia, and other objects represent a wide variety of civic and voluntary organizations, including youth and fraternal groups, scouting, police forces, and firefighters.
"Cultures & Communities - Overview" showing 5 items.
Fire Association of Philadelphia Fire Mark
- 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 Fire Association of Philadelphia issued this brass fire mark in 1857. The mark is painted brown and bears the policy number “26350” painted in black at the bottom. The Fire Association’s fire mark consisted of a raised image of an early fire hydrant with hose attached, flanked by the letters F.A. in the center of an oval. The F.A. adopted a fireplug as their symbol to celebrate the contribution of Philadelphia's innovative public water system to their mission of fighting fire. The Fire Association of Philadelphia was an insurance company founded in 1817 by a group of eleven volunteer engine companies and five volunteer hose companies. A percentage of the Fire Association’s insurance company’s profits were distributed to the volunteer companies. The F.A. fire mark was extremely popular, and an estimated 40,000 fire marks were issued during the company’s history. The Fire Association operated until 1958, when it merged with the Reliance Insurance Company of Philadelphia.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1857
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- 2005.0233.0402
- accession number
- 2005.0233
- catalog number
- 2005.0233.0402
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Fire Association of Philadelphia Fire Mark
- 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 Fire Association of Philadelphia issued this brass fire mark in 1859. The fire mark is painted brown, with a golden color showing underneath. The Fire Association’s fire mark consisted of a raised image of an early fire hydrant with hose attached, flanked by the letters F.A. in the center of an oval. The F.A. adopted a fireplug as their symbol to celebrate the contribution of Philadelphia's innovative public water system to their mission of fighting fire. The Fire Association of Philadelphia was an insurance company founded in 1817 by a group of eleven volunteer engine companies and five volunteer hose companies. A percentage of the Fire Association’s insurance company’s profits were distributed to the volunteer companies. The F.A. fire mark was extremely popular, and an estimated 40,000 fire marks were issued during the company’s history. The Fire Association operated until 1958, when it merged with the Reliance Insurance Company of Philadelphia.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1859
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- 2005.0233.0403
- accession number
- 2005.233
- catalog number
- 2005.0233.0403
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
"Washington at the Battle of Trenton" Engine Panel Painting
- Description
- In the nineteenth century, volunteer fire companies often commissioned paintings to decorate their hand-pumped fire engines for parades, competitions, and community events. Sometimes framed with elaborate carvings, they adorned the tall air chamber located at the middle or rear of a pumper. The paintings would often feature patriotic, heroic, or allegorical images to associate the volunteer companies with these lofty ideals.
- This engine panel painting is attributed to the Washington Fire Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that was active from 1796 until 1871. John A. Woodside completed this oil painting in 1853, copying it from John Trumbull’s George Washington Before the Battle of Trenton that was made in 1792. The painting depicts Washington surveying the battleground, with Continental troops in the background. The volunteer company named itself after Washington and commissioned the painting to link itself with Washington’s prestige America’s foremost Founding Father.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1853
- referenced
- Trumbull, John
- Washington, George
- maker
- Woodside, John Archibald
- ID Number
- 2005.0233.0309
- accession number
- 2005.0233
- catalog number
- 2005.0233.0309
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Fire Association of Philadelphia Fire Mark
- 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 Fire Association of Philadelphia issued this cast iron fire mark around 1850. The bottom of the mark bears the policy number “15041” painted in gold. The Fire Association’s fire mark consisted of a raised image of an early fire hydrant with hose attached, flanked by the letters F.A. in the center of an oval. The F.A. adopted a fireplug as their symbol to celebrate the contribution of Philadelphia's innovative public water system to their mission of fighting fire. The Fire Association of Philadelphia was an insurance company founded in 1817 by a group of eleven volunteer engine companies and five volunteer hose companies. A percentage of the Fire Association’s insurance company’s profits were distributed to the volunteer companies. The F.A. fire mark was extremely popular, and an estimated 40,000 fire marks were issued during the company’s history.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1850
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- 2005.0233.0396
- accession number
- 2005.0233
- catalog number
- 2005.0233.0396
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Hope Mutual Insurance Company Fire Mark
- 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 Hope Mutual Insurance Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania issued this cast iron fire mark between 1854 and 1860. The oval-shaped mark has a beaded edge and a central image of a female figure standing by a rock or pedestal and placing her hand on an anchor. The female figure is intended to be an allegorical representation of Hope. The mark is made of cast iron, and has been painted black.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1854
- company dates
- 1854–1860
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- 2005.0233.0439
- accession number
- 2005.0233
- catalog number
- 2005.0233.0439
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center