Charleston Fire Insurance Company Fire Mark
Charleston 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.
- Museum records indicate that this fire mark is a reproduction. The Charleston Fire Insurance Company of Charleston, South Carolina would have issued this fire mark in the early 19th century. The oval mark is made of cast iron, and consists of an inner image of intact buildings on the left, and buildings engulfed in flames on the right. A figure of Athena guards the intact buildings from the fire, and has a shield by her feet emblazoned with a Palmetto tree. There is a text above the intact building that reads, “RESTORED.” The outer rim bears the text “CHARLESTON FIRE INSURANCE COMPy.” This fire mark’s design has been obscured by some deterioration; a clearer mark can be seen in object 2005.0233.0470. The Charleston Fire Insurance Company operated from 1811 until 1896. Museum records indicate that this mark is a reproduction.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- fire mark
- date made
- early 19th century
- maker
- unknown
- Physical Description
- cast iron (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 9 1/4 in x 7 1/2 in; 23.495 cm x 19.05 cm
- ID Number
- 2005.0233.0471
- accession number
- 2005.0233
- catalog number
- 2005.0233.0471
- 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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