American Insurance Company Fire Mark
American 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 American Insurance Company of Chicago, Illinois issued this tinned sheet iron fire mark in 1867. The square mark has painted text that reads “AMERICAN/CHICAGO.” The American Insurance Company operated in Freeport, Illinois from 1859 until 1867, when it moved to Chicago. The company retired in 1883.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- fire mark
- date made
- 1867
- maker
- unknown
- place made
- United States: Illinois, Chicago
- Physical Description
- tinned sheet iron (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 3 1/8 in x 6 3/4 in; 7.9375 cm x 17.145 cm
- ID Number
- 2005.0233.0534
- accession number
- 2005.0233
- catalog number
- 2005.0233.0534
- Credit Line
- Gift of CIGNA Museum and Art Collection
- subject
- Insurance
- See more items in
- Cultural 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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