Object Details
- 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 Lumbermen’s Insurance Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania issued this cast iron fire mark in 1873. The fire mark consists of an overlapping monogram of the company’s initials, “LI Co” embossed upon an iron square. The mark is framed with four logs that overlap at the corners. The Lumbermen’s was the last newly organized insurance company in Philadelphia to issue a cast iron fire mark.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
- maker
- unknown
- date made
- 1873
- Credit Line
- Gift of CIGNA Museum and Art Collection
- Physical Description
- cast iron (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 11 1/2 in x 11 1/4 in; 29.21 cm x 28.575 cm
- Object Name
- fire mark
