Fire Mark: Charleston Fire Insurance Company and 39 similar items

Charleston Fire Insurance Company The Charleston Fire Insurance Company of Charleston, South Carolina was founded in 1811 and issued their first fire mark shortly after that. Their oval mark was made of iron and consists of an inner image of intact buildings on the left, and buildings engulfed in flames on the right. A figure of Athena guarded the intact buildings from the fire and had a shield by her feet emblazoned with a Palmetto tree. There was a text above the intact building that read, ?RESTORED.? The outer rim bears the text ?CHARLESTON FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY.? The Charleston Fire Insurance Company ceased doing business in 1896. This listing is for a nice mark/plaque which measures approximately 6.675" X 9.125", is of cast iron ( 3.0 lbs.) construction with mounting holes on each side and the top. This Fire Mark was cast by John Wright for the Historic Charleston Foundation. The mark is in good condition with some chipping and minor rust, which gives it a great vintage look. This mark is rare and not one of the ones that is regularly seen up for sale. This is a very nice item, and it would make an excellent addition for fire mark, firefighting, or insurance memorabilia collectors. 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 suffer greatly if the building was 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. Shipping Info Shipping Handling Charges are indicated below. ECONOMY USA S H of $12.95 applies to this item INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS CONTACT US FOR RATES. International buyers please note the following: International Shipping is available with appropriate charge. Please contact us about what the charge would be based on your location. Import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding/buying. RETURNS: The refund will be based on the purchase price excluding the original shipping, handling and material expense fees. Powered by SixBit's eCommerce Solution