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 Associated Firemen's Insurance Company of Baltimore, Maryland issued this fire mark in 1848. The cast iron oval mark has a raised central image of a fireman rushing to a fire blowing a trumpet and holding a burning brand. The background of the mark has been painted gold, and the fireman and raised border has been painted brown. The Associated Firemen's Insurance Company operated from 1847 until 1899, when it was absorbed and reinsured by the Fidelity Fire Insurance Company of Baltimore.
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 Associated Firemen's Insurance Company of Baltimore, Maryland issued this fire mark in 1848. The cast iron oval mark has a raised central image of a fireman rushing to a fire blowing a trumpet and holding a burning brand. The Associated Firemen's Insurance Company operated from 1847 until 1899, when it was absorbed and reinsured by the Fidelity Fire Insurance Company of Baltimore.
This candlestick was owned in the Copp family home in Stonington, Connecticut during the 18th and 19th century. The oval candlestick has an oval, single-reeded, removable nozzle with rolled edge and flared candle cup or socket atop a plain, single-seamed stem with single bead at top and molded band at bottom above the oval, trumpet-shaped, molded base with grooved border.
The Copp Collection contains a variety of household objects that the Copp family of Connecticut used from around 1700 until the mid-1800s. Part of the Puritan Great Migration from England to Boston, the family eventually made their home in New London County, Connecticut, where their textiles, clothes, utensils, ceramics, books, bibles, and letters provide a vivid picture of daily life. More of the collection from the Division of Home and Community Life can be viewed by searching accession number 28810.
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 engine panel painting likely belonged to the Globe Engine Company No. 30 of Kensington, Philadelphia, which was founded in 1820. Originally organized as a hand engine company, it acquired a steam fire engine in 1863 and operated as the Globe Steam Fire Engine Company of Kensington until 1871 when Philadelphia’s paid firefighting department was established. The painting is attributed to John S. Brewer and dated to around 1834.The painting depicts two firemen rescuing a distressed woman from a house fire. The firemen are wearing their fire hats and capes, and one is carrying a speaking trumpet used to amplify his instructions to the company. The painting was meant to emphasize the firemen’s masculinity and heroism. This painting and its companion piece (object 2005.0233.0313) would have adorned either side of the company’s engine.
This candlestick was owned in the Copp family home in Stonington, Connecticut during the 18th and 19th century. The oval candlestick has an oval, single-reeded, removable nozzle with rolled edge and flared candle cup or socket atop a plain, single-seamed stem with single bead at top and molded band at bottom above the oval, trumpet-shaped, molded base with grooved border.
The Copp Collection contains a variety of household objects that the Copp family of Connecticut used from around 1700 until the mid-1800s. Part of the Puritan Great Migration from England to Boston, the family eventually made their home in New London County, Connecticut, where their textiles, clothes, utensils, ceramics, books, bibles, and letters provide a vivid picture of daily life. More of the collection from the Division of Home and Community Life can be viewed by searching accession number 28810.
Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church
maker
Currier, Nathaniel
ID Number
DL.60.2929
catalog number
60.2929
accession number
228146
Description
This black and white print is of a life membership to a Mr. Philip J.A. Harper issued by the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Society, begun in 1820 and headquartered in New York City, was among the earliest organizations that focused on mission within and outside the United States. It initially worked to convert Native Americans and slaves before extending its activities to inhabitants of West Africa and elsewhere overseas.
A vignette depicting missionary activity appears above the text that was inspired by the Society’s proselytizing during the 19th Century. On the right side is a depiction of Native Americans and Africans who were “saved” due to the preaching of a missionary. The left side shows the damnation that comes to those who fail to hear God’s word. Above the scene floats a triumphant angel sent by God who is blowing a trumpet, Bible in hand.
This print was produced by Nathaniel Currier (1813-1888). Currier was the founder of the company that eventually became the Currier & Ives lithography firm. At the age of fifteen Currier apprenticed with the Pendleton lithography firm in New York City. Five years later he moved to Philadelphia to work with the lithographer M.E.D. Brown (1810-1896). After a year Currier moved back to New York, where he intended on going into business with one of the Pendleton brothers. Instead he formed a partnership in 1834 with Adam Stodart who was in the sheet music business. Within a year he opened his own lithography company on Wall Street and then moved to Nassau and Spruce. In 1852 a bookkeeper named James Merritt Ives joined the firm. He married Charles Currier’s sister-in-law and brought to the firm a critical eye and business acumen. In five years he had become a partner. Currier & Ives would become arguably the most successful and prodigious lithography firm of the 19th century. Although especially well known for prints celebrating American landscapes and pastimes like sailing and ice skating, Currier & Ives also produced lithographs that featured current events, social issues and political controversies
The traditional American leather firefighter’s helmet with its distinctive long rear brim, frontpiece, and crest adornment was first developed around 1821-1836 in New York City. Henry T. Gratacap, a New York City luggage maker by trade, is often credited as the developer of this style of fire helmet. Gratacap created a specially treated leather helmet with a segmented “comb” design that led to unparalleled durability and strength. The elongated rear brim (also known as a duckbill or beavertail) and frontpiece were 19th century innovations that remain the most identifiable feature of firefighter’s helmets. The body of the helmet was primarily designed to deflect falling debris, the rear brim prevented water from running down firefighters’ backs, and their sturdy crowns could aid, if necessary, in breaking windows.
This leather fire helmet was made by Anderson & Jones of New York, New York around 1845. The black helmet has an embossed ivy-vine design around the helmet’s brim. The helmet has 32 combs and a metal eagle frontpiece holder attached to its crown. The black leather frontpiece has a central image of a speaking trumpet topped by a fire helmet, with a variety of firefighting paraphernalia including hoses, hooks, and axes behind it. The frontpiece reads “N.Y./VOLUNTEER/ASSOCIATION/HKW” around the central image. On the rear underbrim is an inset that bears the text “Presented to/H.K. Woodruff by/ G.J.D. M.S.D.V./M.L. J.E.M./P.S.D.V.” This hat was presented to H.K. Woodruff, a volunteer firefight formerly of the Independent Hose Company No. 3, upon the organization of the New York Volunteer Firemen’s Association. The Firemen’s Association was organized in February of 1884 and was filled with ex-volunteer firemen who wished to keep the memory of volunteer firefighting alive after the creation of the paid fire department in New York.
This trumpet was made by Leopold Uhlmann (1806-1878) in Vienna about 1840. It is a D trumpet made of brass with a nickel silver bell garland, and three Viennese style double piston valves. It’s likely that this trumpet was an early type of piccolo trumpet developed for clarino parts. This trumpet is engraved:
Leopold Uhlmann K:K:priv: Instrumenten fabrik in Wien
Leopold Uhlmann apprenticed with his father, Johann, in Vienna and studied horn at the Vienna Conservatory. Uhlmann received a patent for his improvements for double piston valves in 1830. He made instruments until his death in 1878, and his firm was continued by his son until about 1900.
This trumpet was made by Wright & Baldwin in Boston, Massachusetts about 1845. It is an F trumpet made of brass with three Viennese double piston valves. This trumpet is of an unusual design, known as an Old Mainz Model, is played with the body of the trumpet above the fingering levers. This trumpet is engtraved:
Wright & Baldwin Makers-Boston
Elbridge G. Wright (1811-1871) started his musical instrument firm in Boston in 1841. This trumpet is one of the few instruments made during Wright’s brief partnership with Baldwin in 1845.
This trumpet was made by Charles Pace in London, England, around 1834-1849. It is an F slide trumpet made of copper with brass trim, with double clock springs. The garnishes and bell garland are decorated with repoussé designs with trumpet and drum designs on the garnishes. Accessioned with six tuning bits and four crooks. This trumpet is engraved:
C. Pace Maker London
Charles Pace (1803-1867) started a brass instrument firm with his brother Frederick at 2 Lower Crown Street as musical instrument makers “to her Majesty’s Guards,” in 1820. From 1833 until 1854 Charles Pace’s shop was at 49 King Street, Westminster.
Japanned speaking trumpet, painted black with red, green and yellow leaflets alternating with red-dotted flowers where the bell joins the shaft, and a yellow rickrack border around the bell. Mouthpiece, shaft and bell all have soft-soldered lapped-seams; bell with folded edge. No marks.
This trombone was made by F. Tabard in Lyon, France, around 1820-1848. It is a B-flat slide trombone, made of brass with a painted red with gold garland inside bell. The bell points to the rear. This trombone is inscribed on the bell:
TABARD A LYON
(and on a ferrule):
DEPOT DE TOTI.
This trombone was acquired from the collection of Leopoldo Franciolini in 1892. Leopoldo Franciloini (1844–1920) was an Italian antique dealer who flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is remembered as a fraudster who sold faked and altered historical musical instruments.
Color print of firemen pumping water from a fire engine. The foreman or chief engineer stands on the engine giving orders with a speaking trumpet while another fireman climbs a ladder against a burning building carrying the hose in the background.
Cast shield-shaped trivet with symmetrical openwork geometric design featuring a diamond near toe above a split-top trumpet shape with shallow S curve arms at its sides; three square legs. No railing. No marks.
Attributed to William Barton (1762-1849) at Cairo, NY, after 1826 when he moved his foundry there from Chatham (now East Hampton), CT. Barton is remembered as a sleigh bell maker and established the bell manufacturing industry in East Hampton (which came to be known as "Belltown") in 1808; but he and his sons also produced other small bronze and brass items, including trivets.
Cast shield-shaped trivet with symmetrical openwork geometric design featuring a diamond near toe above a split-top trumpet shape with shallow S curve arms at its sides. Three peg legs; no handle. Heavily worn railing along two sides, closed at tip. Top face of endpiece struck incuse "W.BARTON" in roman letters.
Attributed to William Barton (1762-1849) at Cairo, NY, after 1826 when he moved his foundry there from Chatham (now East Hampton), CT. Barton is remembered as a sleigh bell maker and established the bell manufacturing industry in East Hampton (which came to be known as "Belltown") in 1808; but he and his sons also produced other small bronze and brass items, including trivets.
Tall, octagonal or panel-sided, inverted trumpet-shaped pitcher with raised bead at neck and rounded bottom on four cast ruffled scroll feet; engraved in small script on front panel, "To / M\rs/.. Alexander Cummings / A Mother's Gratitude". Reeded rim steeply curves to a U-shaped pouring lip. Tapered S-curve handle has fluted shell upper terminal, tab thumbpiece, applied oval leaves or feathers at middle and scrolled lower terminal with pendant pointed leaf or feather. Underside struck twice above and below centerpunch "R&W.WILSON" in raised roman letters in a rectangle, both facing the same direction.
