Chambersburg Insurance Company Fire Mark
Chambersburg 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 Chambersburg Insurance Company of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania issued this cast iron fire mark sometime between 1833 and 1849. The center of the oval mark has a raised image of a Philadelphia-style hand-pumped fire engine. Above the image is the raised initials “C.F.I. Co.” The mark has been painted green. The Chambersburg Insurance Company operated from 1833 until its dissolution around 1849.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- fire mark
- date made
- 1833-1849
- maker
- unknown
- Physical Description
- cast iron (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 9 3/4 in x 9 1/16 in; 24.765 cm x 23.01875 cm
- ID Number
- 2005.0233.0553
- accession number
- 2005.0233
- catalog number
- 2005.0233.0553
- 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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