Benjamin Franklin, who founded the Philadelphia Contributionship, strongly believed that trees next to a house would attract lightning and thereby increase the risk of fire. Mutual Assurance of Philadelphia was founded in 1784 by 40 members of the Contributionship who didn't believe it was a problem to insure buildings surounded by trees. Their mark bears a tree on it to reflect the willingness to cover these buildings.
Their original fire mark had a tree made out of lead, which was mounted on a wood shield. Starting in 1799, they went with a wooden oval plaque and then they converted to an all cast iron oval plaque in 1805. In 1827, Mutual Assurance issued a sqautty oval fire mark with a tree on it. The mark measured 8.0" X 8.375' with mounting holes on the top and bottom of this mark for attaching directly to the insured structure.
This mark is the squatty design, which is not seen frequently. It is of metal (non ferrous) construction and was cast by John Wright. It measures approximately 8.25" X 8.0" and has a single mounting hole at the top of the plaque. The mark is in good condition, with a very good painted surface. This would make an excellent addition for any collector of firefighting or insurance company memorabilia, an agent/broker, or a company employee or retiree.
American insurance company's fire marks were placed on the exterior of a house and were intended to discourage malicious arson by showing that the owner would not greatly suffer if the building were destroyed. Additionally, the mark stood as a guarantee to fire brigades that the insurance company which insured the house in question would reward handsomely the brigade extinguishing a blaze on the premises.
