TREE FIRE MARK

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 surrounded by trees. Their mark bears a tree on it to reflect the willingness to cover these buildings.

Mutual's original mark had a tree made out of lead and was mounted on a wood shield measuring "12.124" X 15.625". This mark is of mixed metal (non-ferrous) construction and was cast by Iron Master. It measures approximately 7.5" X 11.0" and has a heavily painted surface with a vintage look and feel to it. 

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.