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 Peabody Insurance Company of Wheeling, West Virginia issued this cast iron fire mark in 1869. The scalloped hourglass-shaped fire mark has raised text that reads “INSURED/PEABODY/WHEELING.” The company operated from 1869 until 1899.