Philadelphia Contributionship Fire Mark
Philadelphia Contributionship 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 Philadelphia Contributionship for the Insurance of Houses from Loss by Fire issued this fire mark around 1847-1848. 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 as the first fire insurance company in America, and included Benjamin Franklin as one of its founding members. The Contributionship was a mutual assurance company, represented by its “Hand in Hand” fire mark.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- fire mark
- date made
- 1847-1848
- maker
- unknown
- place made
- United States: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Physical Description
- wood (board material)
- lead (hands material)
- Measurements
- board: 15 3/8 in x 11 1/2 in x 15/16 in; 39.0525 cm x 29.21 cm x 2.38125 cm
- hands: 9 3/8 in x 8 5/8 in x 15/16 in; 23.8125 cm x 21.9075 cm x 2.38125 cm
- overall: wt 4 lb
- ID Number
- 2005.0233.0379
- accession number
- 2005.0233
- catalog number
- 2005.0233.0379
- Credit Line
- Gift of CIGNA Museum and Art Collection
- subject
- Fire Fighting
- Insurance
- 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
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