Fire Mark Gallery

Insurance Company:

Friendly Insurance Society of Edinburgh

City: Edinburgh, Scotland

Company Dates: 1720-1847

This company was founded as a mutual and is the first recorded instance of a group subscribing  to perpetual policies.  Policy number 1760 issued about 1772.

Insurance Company:

Hibernian Fire Insurance Company

City: Dublin, Ireland

Company Dates: 1771-1839

This mark, issued to policy number 3951, features an image of the "harp of Erin," a national symbol of Ireland.

Insurance Company:

Mutual Assurance Company for Insuring Houses from Loss by Fire

City: Philadelphia, PA

Company Dates: 1784-1996

Policy number 153 was issued in 1786 and covered 237 Lombard Street. In 1996, The Mutual Assurance Company and its subsidiaries merged into National Grange Mutual Insurance Company headquartered in New Hampshire.

Insurance Company:

Insurance Company of North America

City: Philadelphia, PA

Company Dates: 1792-1982

This company began to write fire insurance April 14, 1794. This mark was issued sometime after 1800. The company merged with Connecticut General to form CIGNA in 1982.

Insurance Company:

Providence Washington Insurance Company

City: Providence, RI

Company Dates: 1799-2004

The Providence Insurance Company began in 1799 and merged with the Washington Insurance Company in 1820. Before the merger, these companies were marine underwriters, and expanded into fire insurance in 1844. Mark made for use in China.

Insurance Company:

Insurance Company:

Fire Association of Philadelphia

City: Philadelphia, PA

Company Dates: 1820-1950

The company was founded by several Philadelphia volunteer fire companies. This mark was issued in 1860 and the first of this company's marks to have a drainage knob in the back to help prevent water build-up and rust.

Insurance Company:

Phenix Insurance Company

City: Brooklyn, NY

Company Dates: 1853-1910

In 1864 this company dropped "Fire" from its name and, in 1910, merged with Fidelity Fire in New York and the name changed to Fidelity Phenix Fire Insurance Company. The distinctive horseshoe shape was emblematic of good fortune for insured properties.

Insurance Company:

The Home Insurance Company

City: New York, NY

Company Dates: 1853-1995

Harold V. Smith, a former president of this company, was an avid collector of fire marks and sponsored the definitive  publication on fire marks, Footprints of Assurance (1953) by Alwin E. Bulau. A large portion of Smith's collection was donated to the NYCFM in 1980.

Insurance Company:

United Firemen's Insurance Company

City: Philadelphia, PA

Company Dates: 1860-1953

Policy number 3684 was issued to Joseph Helferson on August 22, 1872 and covered $1600 on a brick dwelling situated on the northwest corner of George and Orchard Streets. 

Insurance Company:

National Insurance Company of Egypt

City: Alexandria, Egypt

Company Dates: 1900-Present

This is the oldest indigenous insurance company in the Middle East and continues to provide fire insurance, amongst other types, throughout the area.

Insurance Company:

Filipinas Compania de Seguros

City: Manila, Philippine Islands

Company Dates: 1913-Present

Local insurance originated in the Philippines in 1899,  after the Islands became a protectorate of the United States. This company was the only one, however, to issue a mark of assurance. It still operates today, under the guise of the Ayala Corporation.