Fire Mark Circle Auction Catalogue: September 2022 Bidding in this auction has now closed, the prices realised and winning bidder numbers are shown below. 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. Farmers Fire and Life. Zinc. W92B. A very good example of the second variant not often seen in this material, issued in the early 1840s, no original colour, no surface damage, the Duke of Rutland was one of their original directors, the predecessor of our past president. £35-40 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 15 2. National Union Fire Office. Tin. B989. A very good example of this later 19th century mark, still showing its original colours with some slight scuffing to the raised parts. £30-40 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 10 3. District Fire Office. Copper. W83E. A very good example of the last mark to be issued by the company before it passed to the Alliance in 1864, still showing its dulled colour, no flattening or surface damage. £35-40 Bid: £50 Bidder No. 10 4. Salop Fire Office. Copper. W20B. A fair example of the only copper mark issued by the company in 1826, some original gilding, stress fractures to the leopards heads and nail hole damage. £40-50 Bid: £35 Bidder No. 18 5. Salop Fire Office. Lead. W20A. Policy No. 10013. An excellent example of the only lead mark to be issued by the company in 1810. No original colour or other surface damage. £80-100 Bid: £130 Bidder No. 6 6. Victoria Insurance Co. Copper. B1756. A very good example of this Australian company’s mark from the mid-19th century, all original colour with some minor scuffing to the raised parts. £60-70 Bid: £40 Bidder No. 9 7. Phoenix Assurance Co. Copper. W23K. A good example of this later variant issued in 1865, no original colour, no surface damage, RHS tab missing. PLUS. Fenix Espanol. Tin. B1662. A near mint example of this Spanish mark issued in the 1860s. £50-60 Bid: £40 Bidder No. 16 8. Phoenix Assurance Co. Lead. W23A. Policy No.6424. An example of this early lead mark issued in 1785, no surface damage, clean nail holes, it is not often that you see marks of this age in such good condition, definitely a one off. £350-450 Bid: £200 Bidder No. 6 9. Manchester Fire Office. Copper. W71C. A good example of this mark, no original colour, some minor repaired stress fractures. £35-40 Bid: £20 Bidder No. 7 10. Union Fire Office. Copper. W4E. A good example of this early company’s mark issued in 1835, some original background colour and gilding, no flattening to the hands. £40-50 Bid: £35 Bidder No. 13 11. County Fire Office. Copper W45D. A good example of this variant issued after 1837, some original dulled colour. PLUS. County Fire Office. Copper. W45B. A good example of this second mark to be issued in the early 1820s, most original colour, some scuffing to the raised parts. £35-40 Bid: £25 Bidder No. 2 12. Shropshire & North Wales. Brass. W89B. A good example of this second variant in brass, no original colour, no surface damage some minor stress fractures on the edge scrolls. £40-50 Bid: £45 Bidder No. 18 13. Legal Insurance Company Ltd. Tin. B1013. A good example of this later company mark, all original colour, some minor loss to the raised parts. £35-40 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 18 14. Alliance British & Foreign Fire & Life Assurance Co. Copper. W63B. A good example of this second of three variants, no original colour, no flattening to the castle, some nail hole damage. £35-40 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 14 15. Northern Assurance Co. Copper. W88A. A very good example of the first mark to be issued by this Scottish company in Aberdeen, no original colour or surface damage to the raised lion. £40-50 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 2 16. Reading Assurance Co. Copper. W60A. A fair example of the only mark to be issued by this short lived company, and not often seen at auction, no original colour, some repaired stress fractures to the centre of the mark. £40-50 Bid: £40 Bidder No. 16 17. Royal Exchange Assurance. Lead. W10F. Policy No. 133847. A very good example of this mark issued in 1784 no original colour, no surface damage or flattening to the Building, a nice convex oval. £70-80 Bid: £140 Bidder No. 4 18. Norwich General Assurance Co. Lead. W28A. Policy No.3188. An excellent example of this mark from a short-lived company later to be taken over by the Norwich Union, no original colour, some air gun pellet marks, a stress fracture on the panel. £180-200 Bid: £340 Bidder No. 6 19. Westminster Fire Office. Lead. W3A. Policy No.27549. An excellent reproduction of this early mark, as noted in Wright, well cast in a two piece mould, no rings, the original was issued in 1745. £25-30 Bid: £25 Bidder No. 14 20. Westminster Fire Office. Lead. W5C(iii). Policy No.51247. An excellent example of the last lead mark to be issued by the company in 1802, no original colour, some gilding in the recesses, no surface damage and clean nail holes. £150-180 Bid: £130 Bidder No. 3 21. Protector Fire Insurance Co. Copper. W80A. A fair example of this short lived company’s mark, no original colour, part of panel and top LHS missing, no damage to the fireman or other central parts. PLUS. District Fire Office. Copper. W83E. A fair example of the last mark to be issued by the company in the 1860s, no original colour, no flattening to the shield, some fraying at the edges. £40-50 Bid: £45 Bidder No. 18 22. Commercial Union Assurance. Tin. W100A. A good example of this mid-19th century’s company’s only mark, taking most of its business from the older established company’s after the disastrous Tooley Street fire of 1861, no original colour, some green and gilding on the Salamander. PLUS. Sun Fire Office. Copper. W3H. A good example of this first copper variant issued in 1839, no original background blue, some gilding on the Sun and rays, no flattening and tabs intact. £45-50 Bid: £25 Bidder No. 16 23. Notts & Derby Fire & Life Insurance Co. Zinc. W87E. A very good example of this variant using zinc as a material, no original colour, and unusually the garter tab is attached and strengthened at the back. £40-50 Bid: £35 Bidder No. 2 24. Worcester Fire Office. Lead. W27B. Policy No. 2056. A very good example of this second variant probably issued in the late 1700s, no original colour, clear painted number panel, and like most the top tab is missing. £150-180 Bid: £460 Bidder No. 6 25. Sun Fire Office. Lead. W3B. Policy No. 288656. A good example of this early mark issued in 1770, no original colour, no surface damage to the face, bottom right of panel turned. £90-100 Bid: £75 Bidder No. 3 26. Hand in Hand Fire Office. Lead. W2A. Policy No.9342. A Very good example of this early Company’s Mark issued in 1780, no original colour, no surface damage, top of crown present but detached. £150-170 Bid: £150 Bidder No. 8 27. Royal Exchange Assurance. Lead. W10K. A very good example of the last lead mark, some original red background and some gilding, no surface damage. £25-30 Bid: £20 Bidder No. 2 28. Royal Exchange Assurance. Lead. W10J. Policy No. 208883. A good example of this last numbered variant issued in 1804, some original red background colour. £40-50 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 7 29. Sun Fire Office. Lead. W3B. Policy No.265774. An excellent example of this second variant issued in 1767, no original colour or gilding, no surface damage or flattening to the Suns face, altogether a nice early mark. £90-100 Bid: £85 Bidder No. 3 30. Central Insurance Co. Tin. B1002. A near mint example of this late 19th century company’s mark, all original colour, PLUS. Guardian Fire & Life Assurance Co. Tin. B797. A mint example of this later variant issued in the early 1900s primarily for overseas and promotional use. PLUS. Reliance Marine Assurance. Tin. B967. A mint and unissued example of this late 19th century mark primarily used for shipping and other marine related risks. £50-60 Bid: £45 Bidder No. 10 End of Sale