Fire Mark Circle Auction Catalogue: October 2021 Bidding in this auction has now ended. Click on any photo for a larger image and use the back button to return to this page. Back to Previous Page.

Lot. Photo. Description. Estimate. Winning Bid & Bidder No. 1. Berkshire, Gloucestershire & Provincial Life & Fire Assurance Co. Copper. W64A. An excellent example of this single issue mark from a company which was in business for only 7 years, before passing to the Phoenix, All original colour no surface damage. £130-150 Bid: £160 Bidder No. 5 2. Church of England Life & Fire Assurance Trust. Copper. W91B. An excellent example of this second circular variant, no original colour, and no surface damage, a difficult to come by mark. £80-100 Bid: £130 Bidder No. 15 3. Commercial Union Assurance. Tin. W100A. An excellent example of this single issue oval mark still in its original colours, some minor scuffing to the raised parts. the company later issued a small circular mark for promotion and overseas business. £50-60 Unsold. 4. County Fire Office. Copper. W45B. A very good example of the second of six variants issued by the company in its 100 year history, whose London engine participated in the Royal Exchange fire in 1838, some original gilding, no background colour. £30-40 Bid: £20 Bidder No. 4 5. Hampshire, Sussex & Dorset Fire Office. Copper. W39B. An excellent example of this difficult to come by mark, one of two issued by the company the original being in Brass, the mark is unique in that it was issued unpainted and larger than the first, no surface damage or flattening to Vesta. £120-150 Bid: £160 Bidder No. 9 6. Kent Insurance Company. Lead. (Not recorded). An unknown example of this cleanly cast mark, in excellent condition with the word KENT recessed in the panel, and showing on the back weighing 1270gms, and slightly heavier than W36A, possibly cast as a presentation piece for a director or other luminary, no surface or other damage, and repainted. (Click the image for further photos of this lot.) £30-50 Bid: £50 Bidder No. 16 7. Licenced Victuallers & General Fire & Life Insurance Co. Copper. W86A. An excellent example of this single issue mark from this short lived company only in business for 22 years, no original colour, no surface damage to the grapes, Addis refers to this company as the MONARCH. £100-120 Bid: £110 Bidder No. 3 8. Phoenix Assurance Co. Copper. W23G. Policy No 415280. A very good example of the first of the painted policy number variants issued in 1815, some original colour and gilding, no flattening to the Phoenix, no evidence of a spear being used as in Addis variant 23A(vii)-C. £60-80 Bid: £75 Bidder No. 17 9. Scottish Union Insurance Co. Copper. W75D/B850. An very good example of this rarer variant not illustrated in Wright and thought to be possibly for overseas use along with other rectangular marks, original colour some paint flaking, small repair to top of crown. £90-110 Bid: £85 Bidder No. 10 10. Shropshire & North Wales Assurance Co. Brass. W89B. A very good example of the second, and thinner of two variants, still retaining its original dulled colour, no stress fractures to the brass or flattening to the feathers. £70-90 Bid: £80 Bidder No. 8 11. State Fire Assurance Company Ltd. Tin. A147A-TI. (Not in Bulau). An excellent example of this rare late 19th century mark, the first of three issued by this Liverpool company, all original dulled colour, no surface damage to the lithograph design. £60-70 Bid: £60 Bidder No. 11 12. Sun Fire Office. Copper. W3H. A very good example of this first copper variant issued in 1839, still retaining its original colour and gilding, no flattening to the suns face or other surface damage. £35-45 Bid: £25 Bidder No. 2 13. Union Fire Office. Copper. W4E. An excellent example of this large copper variant issued in 1835, all original colour, no surface damage or flattening to the hands. £50-70 Bid: £95 Bidder No. 6 14. West of England Fire Insurance Co. Copper. W48C. A very good example of this third of seven variants issued by this Exeter company, some original colour, no flattening or surface damage. £50-60 Bid: £40 Bidder No. 18 15. Yorkshire Fire & Life Insurance Co. Copper. W77A. A very good example of the first of two variants issued by this company based in York, some original colour no flattening to the Minster some solder repair to the date panel, a difficult mark to source. £70-80 Bid: £85 Bidder No. 17 16. Patriotic Insurance Company of Ireland. Tin. B847. An excellent example of this later variant still in the original lithographed colours and primarily used for promotion and business overseas. £40-50 Bid: £120 Bidder No. 12 17. Northern Assurance Co. Copper. W88A. A very good example of this early 19th century Scottish mark from this Aberdeen company, no original colour, no flattening to the lion rampant or other surface damage. £30-40 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 3 18. Sun Fire Office. Copper. B551. A very good example of this promotional copper mark issued in 1910 to commemorate the bicentenary, all original colour, no flattening to the sun, some minor scuffing to the face. £40-50 Bid: £40 Bidder No. 18 19. Sun Londres 1710. Tin. B557. An excellent example of this later circular mark issued by the Sun primarily for overseas use, all original colour. £35-45 Bid: £35 Bidder No. 8 20. Patriotic Assurance. Co. Ltd. Tin. A73J-TI. (Not in Bulau). An excellent example of this later mark in full original colour, Guaranteed by the Sun, again for overseas use. £30-40 Bid: £25 Bidder No. 18 21. Sun Fire Office. Copper. W3H. A very good example of this first copper variant issued in 1839, all original colour and gilding, some slight scuffing to the face. PLUS. Sun Fire Office. Tin. W3F. An excellent example of this second tin variant, all original colour and gilding, some slight scuffing to sun’s face. £70-80 Unsold. 22. Sun Fire Office. Tin. W3F. A very good example of this second non numbered tin variant issued in 1816, all original colour and gilding, some slight scuffing to sun’s dulled face. £70-80 Bid: £100 Bidder No. 9 23. Caledonian Insurance Co. Copper. W43C, An excellent example of this later variant in unissued mint condition, no surface damage, a must for the discerning collector. £60-70 Bid: £60 Bidder No.5 24. Caledonian Insurance Co. Tin. A43C(ii)-TI. (Not in Wright or Bulau). An excellent example of this never seen before 18cm circular mark in near mint condition, all original untouched lithographed colour, a must for the more discerning collector. £120-150 Bid: £170 Bidder No. 5 25. Caledonian Insurance Co. Tinned enamel. A43B-ETI. (Not in Wright or Bulau). Another example of a mark that has not appeared in auction for over 40 years, a small 9 cm circular mark that is only recorded in Roy Addis’s book on British Fire Marks, with reference to its use in Cyprus where with the addition of a square tin backed surround, used as fire marks. (I can send more details and photographs of this mark to those interested) £100-120 Bid: £90 Bidder No. 5 26. Royal Exchange Assurance. Lead. W10K. A very good example of this last lead variant issued in 1810, full colour and gilding, no surface damage. £25-30 Bid: £55 Bidder No. 21 27. Commercial Union Assurance. Tin. W100A. A good example of this single issue mark still retaining some of its original colour, some surface rusting, no damage or fraying. PLUS. Guardian Fire & Life Assurance Co. Tin. B797. A near mint example of this later variant primarily used for promotional and overseas business. PLUS. Reliance Marine Assurance Co. Tin. B967. A near mint example of this Guardian associated mark primarily produced for promotional and overseas business. £40-50 Bid: £40 Bidder No. 20 28. Notts & Derby Fire & Life Assurance Co. Zinc. W87E. A good example of this mark from a company that issued similar designs pressed from different dies in a variety of materials, no original colour, no surface damage, no garter tab. PLUS. Commercial Union Assurance. Tin. W100A. A fair example of this single issue mark some of its original colour in recessed parts, slight surface rusting, and house paint. £40-50 Bid: £35 Bidder No. 2 29. Osigurla Croatia. Tinned Enamel. B1770. A very good example of this Yugoslavian mark from Zagreb, some slight repairs to the bottom right hand corner edge. £30-40 Bid: £20 Bidder No. 5 30. LA Union Y El Fenix. Tin. B1662. A very good example of this Spanish mark from a company founded in Madrid in 1864, repainted in original colours, no damage or surface rust. £25-30 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 5 31. LA Paternia Compagnia. Tin. (Not in Bulau). A very good example of this Milan Italian mark, still in its original dulled colours with the parent French company La Paternelle 1843, B1290 in Paris, a rare European mark. £35-45 Bid: £40 Bidder No. 5 32. LA Normandie. Tin. (Not in Bulau) A very good example of this unrecorded French mark from a company founded in 1840 based in Caen, all original colours and gilding with some age related black background loss. £35-45 Bid: £25 Bidder No. 5 33. IL Duomo. Tin. B1542. An excellent example of this lithographed mark showing Milan Cathedral, no surface damage to the image. PLUS. L’Emiliana. Tin. B1531. A very good example of this Italian mark from Bologna, no surface damage, small hole in centre. £40-50 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 5 34. Danubio Asicurazioni. Tin. (Not recorded in Bulau). A very good example of this 1867 Italian company mark based in Milan, although the parent company is in Vienna. Austria. PLUS. Another variant in similar condition from the Company Danubio. £40-50 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 19 35. Oberosterreichischen Landes Brandschaden. Tinned Enamel. (Not in Bulau). A very good example of this Austrian mark based in Linz, slight chipping to the enamel in the left hand corner. PLUS. Another Austrian mark. Versisicherung Der Oesterreichischen. Tin. (Not in Bulau). A good example of this variant, some dulled colour and minor surface rust. £35-45 Bid: £25 Bidder No. 5 36. Tiroler Landes Brandschaden. Enamel. B1055. A very good example of this triangular Austrian mark dating from the early 1800s, no surface damage or chipping to the enamel. PLUS. Karntnerische Landes Brandschaden. Enamel. B1070. A good example of this triangular Austrian mark from Klagenfurt, minor surface damage to the enamel on the edges and corners. £35-45 Bid: £25 Bidder No. 5 37. Caledonian Insurance Co. Copper. W43A, A very good example of this first variant, no surface damage, slight tearing at top nail hole and verdigris on the back, all original colour which is surprising as this mark has been on a property. £40-50 Bid: £35 Bidder No. 20 38. London Assurance. Tin. W9I. An excellent example of the last mark issued by the company, all original colour some slight scuffing to the raised parts of Britannia, although this variant was originally issued in 1835, similar ones were produced in the early 20th century for overseas and promotional use. £25-35 Bid: £20 Bidder No. 2 39. Atlas Assurance Co. Copper. W50A. An excellent example of this single issue company mark, although tin oval marks were later introduced for overseas business, all original dulled colour, no flattening or surface damage to Atlas. £40-50 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 2 40. British Fire Office. Tinned Copper. W30C. A very good example of this third variant, issued in Lead and Tinned Copper, no original colour showing under a coating of green house paint, no flattening to the lion, or damage at nail holes. £50-60 Bid: £40 Bidder No. 2 End of Fire Marks 41. Fire Marks and Insurance Office Fire Brigades by Bertram Williams A near mint copy of this the first detailed account of fire marks and brigades of the 18th and 19th centuries in over 85 pages, published in 1927. (Click the image for further photos of this lot.) £40-50 Unsold. 42. An original illustrated one $10 share certificate of the Home Insurance Company of New York dated 1932, mounted in a card frame 25x35cms. £8-10 Unsold. Silver Arm Badges Members will have noted the high prices gained at the recent Auction at Sworders & Co. Fine Art Auctioneers in Essex last month, where a quantity of silver Fireman’s Arm Badges were sold. 43. A Silver Guardian Assurance Fireman’s Badge.Dated London 1922. A good example of this later smaller oval form silver fireman’s badge, showing a central cast figure of Athene holding a spear and an olive branch aloft, and the back fitted with four suspension loops. 8.5cm wide x 9cm high and weighing 125gms. Some detail on the raised parts of Athene have been polished out as illustrated. (Click the image for further photo of this lot.) £120-150 Bid: £120 Bidder No. 4 44. A Silver Royal Exchange Assurance Fireman’s Badge. Dated Birmingham 1917. A mint example of this probably unissued smaller silver fireman’s arm badge in oval form measuring 8cm wide x 10.5cm high and weighing 117gms, showing the Royal Exchange Architectural motif surmounted by a crown, inscribed Royal Exchange Assurance 1720, with four suspension loops to the back, no surface damage or polishing to the motif as illustrated. (Click the image for further photo of this lot.) £150-180 Bid: £260 Bidder No. 5 45. A Silver London Assurance Fireman’s Badge. Dated London 1967.An excellent example of this smaller silver fireman’s arm badge in oval form measuring 10.5cm wide x 12.5 cm high and weighing 88gms, showing the figure of Britannia and marked 20 to signify the fireman’s number. No significant polishing to the figure or other raised parts; the badge was produced two years after the Group was amalgamated with the Sun Alliance. (Click the image for further photo of this lot.) £120-150 Bid: £220 Bidder No. 5 End of Sale