Hartford County Mutual Fire Insurance Company Fire Mark
Hartford County Mutual Fire Insurance Company Fire Mark
Usage conditions apply
- 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 Hartford County Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Hartford, Connecticut issued this fire mark in 1831. The oval mark is made of tinned sheet iron, and the text “INSURED/MUTUAL/HARTFORD” is painted in gold across the face. The Hartford County Mutual Fire Insurance Company was founded in 1831.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- fire mark
- date made
- 1831
- maker
- unknown
- Physical Description
- tinned sheet iron (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 4 5/8 in x 9 11/16 in; 11.7475 cm x 24.60625 cm
- ID Number
- 2005.0233.0498
- accession number
- 2005.0233
- catalog number
- 2005.0233.0498
- Credit Line
- Gift of CIGNA Museum and Art Collection
- subject
- Fire Fighting
- Insurance
- See more items in
- Cultural and Community Life: Fire Fighting and Law Enforcement
- Work
- Cultures & Communities
- Advertising
- Firefighting Collection
- Fire Marks
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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