Object Details
- Description (Brief)
- Beginning in the late 17th century, English insurance companies maintained private fire brigades that were paid to respond to fires at properties they insured. Properties were identified by leaden badges (fire marks) bearing a insurance company’s emblem and often stamped with the customer’s policy number.
- The Hand-in-Hand Fire Office of London, England issued this lead fire mark around 1832. The mark consists of two clasped hands shaking underneath a crown. The strip of metal underneath the hands is inscribed with the policy number “103769.” The Hand-in-Hand Fire Office operated from 1696 until 1905, when it was acquired by the Commercial Union.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Credit Line
- Gift of CIGNA Museum and Art Collection
- ca 1832
- ID Number
- 2005.0233.0562
- accession number
- 2005.0233
- catalog number
- 2005.0233.0562
- Object Name
- fire mark
- Physical Description
- lead (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 7 3/4 in x 1/2 in; 19.685 cm x 1.27 cm
- place made
- United Kingdom: England
- See more items in
- Home and Community Life: Fire Fighting and Law Enforcement
- Cultures & Communities
- Advertising
- Work
- Firefighting Collection
- Fire Marks
- National Museum of American History
- classified
- Fire Fighting
- Subject
- Insurance
- Record ID
- nmah_1343186
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ac-31bd-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
