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 United Firemen’s Insurance Company issued this fire mark in 1878. The oval cast iron mark features a central image of a steam-powered fire engine in relief, with a raised header text that reads “UNITED FIREMEN’S INS. CO.” It appears as if the engine and text were originally painted gold, which has subsequently worn off. The policy number “10659” is painted in gold at the bottom of the mark. The United Firemen's Insurance Company was incorporated in 1860 by a group of 28 engine and hose companies that were not part of the Fire Association of Philadelphia. Since the Fire Association did not pay dividends to companies that were not members, these twenty-eight companies formed the new United Firemen's Insurance Company of Philadelphia to profit from the insurance business. Steam fire engines were a new technology in 1860, and the UFI's use of a steamer on its fire mark shows a desire to be associated with the latest innovations in firefighting and prevention.
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are: Complete cold medicine for children. Gentle decongestant, safe cough quieter, pain and fever reducer
This engraved wood block was used to print an image in the publication "United States Exploring Expedition, During the Years 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842, Zoophytes," 1846, Volume 7, Chapter 4, "Actinoidea," page 77, figure 35, calcareous lamellae. The image was drawn by Joseph Drayton and was engraved by an unknown artist. It was originally printed by C. Sherman of Philadelphia.
The image on this lithographic stone was prepared to print an image in the publication "United States Exploring Expedition, During the Years 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842," Volume 10, "Geology - Atlas," 1849. The image depicts "Oregon Fossils, Plate 21." The images was prepared by the lithographic firm Sarony & Major after illustrations by James Dwight Dana.
This engraved wood block was used to print an image in the publication "United States Exploring Expedition, During the Years 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842, Zoophytes," 1846, Volume 7, Chapter 4, "Actinoidea," page 32, figure 13, spicules of the Actinia. The image was drawn by Joseph Drayton and was engraved by an unknown artist. It was originally printed by C. Sherman of Philadelphia.
This engraved wood block was used to print an image in the publication "Narrative of the U.S. Exploring Expedition, During the Years 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842," 1844, Volume 3, page 272. The image was drawn by A.T. Agate. It was engraved by R.H. Pease, and originally printed by C. Sherman of Philadelphia in 1844.
This engraved printing plate was prepared to print an image of "View from the Pass to the Upper Town, Somo Somo" for the publication "The Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition, During the Years 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842," 1844, Volume 3, page 318 in the edition Philadelphia : Lea and Blanchard, 1845. The engraving was produced by the firm of Smillie & Hinshelwood after a sketch by A. T. Agate.
This engraved printing plate was prepared to print an image of "Chinook Lodge" for the publication "The Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition, During the Years 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842," 1844, Volume 4, preceding page 341, in the edition Philadelphia : Lea and Blanchard, 1845. The engraving was produced by R. W. Dodson after a sketch by A. T. Agate.
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 Mutual Assurance Company for Insuring Houses from Loss by Fire of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, issued this fire mark in 1799. This Mutual fire mark consists of a leaden image of a tree nailed to an oval-shaped wooden board. The policy number 936 can be faintly seen at the base of the tree. The Mutual was founded in 1784 by former policyholders of the Philadelphia Contributionship for the Insurance of Houses from Loss by Fire. The Philadelphia Contributionship decided that buildings with trees in front of them posed a fire hazard and would no longer be insured. Since trees were abundant in early Philadelphia, this decision created a rift in the Contributionship. The Mutual was founded to provide insurance to those members whose buildings had trees. The adoption of the “Green Tree” as the company’s fire mark was a nod to the dispute that led to the Mutual’s founding.
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 Fire Association of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania issued this cast iron fire mark in 1869. The Fire Association’s fire mark consisted of a raised image of an early fire hydrant with hose attached, flanked by the letters F.A. in the center of an oval. This mark shows some faded green paint on the grass, and the policy number “47847” is painted in gold on the bottom. The F.A. adopted a fireplug as their symbol to celebrate the contribution of Philadelphia's innovative public water system to their mission of fighting fire. The Fire Association of Philadelphia was an insurance company founded in 1817 by a group of eleven volunteer engine companies and five volunteer hose companies. A percentage of the Fire Association’s insurance company’s profits were distributed to the volunteer companies. The F.A. fire mark was extremely popular, and an estimated 40,000 fire marks were issued during the company’s history. The Fire Association operated until 1958, when it merged with the Reliance Insurance Company of Philadelphia.
In the nineteenth century, volunteer fire companies often commissioned paintings to decorate their hand-pumped fire engines for parades, competitions, and community events. Sometimes framed with elaborate carvings, they adorned the tall air chamber located at the middle or rear of a pumper. The paintings would often feature patriotic, heroic, or allegorical images to associate the volunteer companies with these lofty ideals.
This fire engine panel came from the Franklin Engine Company No. 12 of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that was active as a hand engine company from 1792 until 1863 when it acquired a steam fire engine. It operated as a steam fire engine company until 1871 when Philadelphia’s paid firefighting department was established. The painting “Franklin at Desk” is attributed to David Rent Etter and dates to around 1830. The painting depicts Benjamin Franklin’s dictating his memoirs to his grandson. Benjamin Franklin was well known for organizing the first volunteer fire company in Philadelphia, and his image and his name were popular among the city’s fire companies. By invoking Franklin, volunteer firemen linked themselves to the progenitor of their trade, as well as someone who played a key role in the American Revolution. This painting and its companion piece (object 2005.0233.0018) would have adorned either side of the company’s engine.
This engraved wood block was used to print an image in the publication "Narrative of the U.S. Exploring Expedition, During the Years 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842," 1844, Volume 5, page 48. The image was drawn by A. T. Agate. It was engraved by R. S. Gilbert, and originally printed by C. Sherman of Philadelphia in 1844.
Description
Reuben S. Gilbert (about 1815–about 1850) engraved this printing block after a drawing, Drummond's Islander, from the Kingsmill Island group by Expedition Artist Alfred T. Agate. The wood engraving illustration was published on page 45 of Volume V of the U.S. Exploring Expedition Narrative by Charles Wilkes, 1844.
This engraved wood block was used to print an image in the publication "Narrative of the U.S. Exploring Expedition, During the Years 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842," 1844, Volume 1 (page 56 of the Lea & Blanchard 1845 stereotyped copy). The image was drawn by A. T. Agate. It was engraved by J. H. Brightly, and originally printed by C. Sherman of Philadelphia in 1844.