Hall of Flame
Museum of Firefighting
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Firemarks
The Hall of Flame has a collection of over 400 firemarks from the United States, Great Britain and Europe. About half of these marks are on exhibit in Gallery 1.
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Above
Left: American Marks.
Above Right: European Marks, 19th and 20th centuries. Left: German 20th century Marks |
| Firemarks appeared in 17th century England. Following the Great Fire of London in 1666 a few entrepreneurs established fire insurance companies for English home and business owners. The insurance companies created their own fire departments to respond to fires at their clients' properties. To prove that they were insured, the companies designed marks, usually made of lead, with their company logos as well as the actual insurance policy number stamped into the mark. The marks were attractively painted as well as being important to the well being of the insured property. Soon companies were providing mutual aid responses at the insured properties of other insurance companies. By the mid 18th century the insurance company fire departments responded to all homes and properties, whether insured or not, and getting their costs covered by law suits or by local government units. Firemarks no longer served their original purposes, but the colorful plates, by now made of tin, cast iron and cast lead, were still provided to customers as advertising. | In
America the first fire insurance companies appeared in the years following the
Revolution. Organized like English companies, the American companies also
issue firemarks as advertising devices. Policy owners nailed them to the
exteriors of their homes and businesses as a sign of responsibility for their
properties and as a warning to arsonists that their expenses would be paid by
insurance companies and that the arsonists would be pursued by the insurance
companies. The insurance companies usually produced very attractive painted
marks of cast iron or tin.
Other nations copied the trend. Virtually every nation in Europe with insurance companies had firemarks. Firemarks were in common use until well into the twentieth century.
Collectors, usually people in the insurance industry, began collecting marks, and several organizations produce books, catalogues, and articles on the devices. They also conduct auctions and swap meets at their meetings. |
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| Above:
English Marks
Above Right: American Mark: the Eagle Insurance Company Right: American Mark: Hand in Hand Insurance Company |
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