Fire Mark Circle Auction Catalogue: April 2024 Bidding in this auction has now ended. Thank you to all vendors and bidders. Final prices and winning bidder numbers are as 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. Manchester Fire & Life Assurance Co. Tin. W71E. A near mint example of this later variant issued in 1880 and not often seen in this condition, and still showing the maker’s name and address, J Eldred and Co. £50-60 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 5 2. Royal Insurance Co. Copper. W95D. An excellent example of this mark, all original colour, no surface damage or scuffing to the raised parts. £40-50 Bid: £35 Bidder No. 18 3. National Union Fire Office. Tin. B989. A near mint example of this late 19th century mark, all original colour. £25-30 Bid: £25 Bidder No. 18 4. Northern Assurance Co. Tin. B877. A good example of this later tin variant from this Scottish company, primarily used for overseas business, most original paint and some minor surface rusting. £40-50 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 6 5. Etna Fire Insurance Co. Tin. W107. A good example of this little-known Irish company that was in business for only two years before passing into United Ports and General Insurance Co., no original background blue colour with the company name in white still visible, a portion of the top shield middle missing and some surface rusting, a very rare mark for the serious collector. £70-90 Bid: £60 Bidder No. 10 6. Commercial Union Assurance. Enamelled Tin. B914. A good example of this rare enamelled circular variant still showing all original colour, some chipping at the two nail holes and a portion of the enamel on the raised flag is missing. £70-90 Bid: - Bidder No. - 7. Royal Exchange Assurance. Lead. W10K. A good example of this last lead variant to be issued by the company, no surface or structural damage. £25-30 Bid: £25 Bidder No. 18 8. Caledonian Assurance Co. Enamelled Tin, similar to Wright variants A to C. A mint example of this later enamelled mark primarily used for overseas business due to its durability and is very common in Portugal and can be seen on properties in the Algarve. £50-60 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 18 9. Northern Assurance Co. Copper. W88A. Another good example from this Aberdeen company of this first variant in its repainted original colours, probably issued in the 1830s, no surface or nail hole damage. £40-50 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 2 10. Commercial Union Assurance. Tin. W100A. A near mint and later example of this company’s mark issued in 1861. £40-50 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 11 11. Essex Economic Fire Office. Copper. W66A. A good example of the first and rarer of the two marks issued by this Chelmsford company in its 30 years of business, some original red paint, no surface damage. £80-100 Bid: £85 Bidder No. 2 12. Northern Assurance Co. Tin. B879. A good example of this later tin variant from this Aberdeen company primarily used for overseas business, no original paint and some minor surface rusting. £40-50 Bid: £40 Bidder No. 18 13. Imperial Fire Insurance Co. Tin. W40C. A good example of the third of eight variants issued by the company enabling them to expand their business to riverside properties in the principal towns and cities and maintaining brigades in them, no surface damage or colour. £40-50 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 18 14. Norwich Union Insurance Soc. Copper. W29O. A good example of this later of fifteen variants, no original colour, no flattening to Justice, mounted on a backing board. £30-40 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 2 15. Notts & Derby Fire Assurance Co. Zinc. W87E. A good example of this mark one of two variants issued in copper or zinc, no original colour, some small material stress fractures, and unusually a remaining garter tab. £40-50 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 17 16. Yorkshire Fire & Life Assurance Co. Copper. W77B. A good example of this mark from this York based company, skilfully repainted in original colours. £40-50 Bid: £50 Bidder No. 18 17. Royal Insurance Co. Tin. Similar to W95C. An excellent example of this unusual mark, never seen before and produced in shallow pressed tin, all original lithographed colour, no surface damage or scuffing to the raised parts. Wright notes that it was probably produced as a promotional mark for overseas business, a must for the serious collector. £70-80 Bid: £60 Bidder No. 17 18. London & Lancashire Fire Ins. Co. Copper. W101B. An excellent example of the second of five variants issued by the company with offices in both London and Liverpool, all original colour and possibly never issued. £50-60 Bid: £80 Bidder No. 5 19. Commercial Union Assurance. Tin. A105D(ii)-TI. An excellent and later example of this company’s mark not recorded in Wright or Bulau, probably issued for overseas business, not often seen at auctions. £40-50 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 17 20. Caledonian Assurance Co. Tin. B758. A mint example of this later mark primarily used for overseas business, and prominent in the British Dominions. £50-60 Bid: £35 Bidder No. 22 21. Union Fire Office. Tin. B570. A good example of this later variant primarily for overseas business use, original gilding and some flaking background colour, no flattening to the hands. £40-50 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 23 22. Liverpool London & Globe. Tin. B947. A mint example of this later variant primarily for overseas use. PLUS. Patriotic Assurance Co. of Ireland. Tin. B847. An excellent example of this later variant used for business overseas. (2) £40-50 Bid: £40 Bidder No. 9 23. Edinburgh Friendly Insurance. Cast Iron. W7D. An excellent example of this rarer, unusual cast iron Scottish mark issued in 1810, and replaced the lead policy numbered marks for use within the city, some original gilding showing through the varnished surface, not often seen at our auctions. £130-150 Bid: £140 Bidder No. 8 24. Bath Fire Office. Lead. W11A(i). Policy No.2745. An excellent example of this early mark issued in the 1780s, no original colour or surface damage or stress fractures and three clean nail holes. £180-200 Bid: £220 Bidder No. 7 25. Sun Fire Office. Lead. W3B. Policy No. 317461. A good example of this third variant issued in 1771, some surface damage and flattening to the Sun. £40-60 Bid: £60 Bidder No. 2 26. Royal Exchange Assurance. Lead. W10J. Policy No.190456, issued in 1800. A good example of the last impressed policy numbered mark, no surface damage or flattening to the Royal Exchange. £40-50 Bid: £35 Bidder No. 17 27. Salop Fire Office. Lead. W20A. Policy No.10013 An excellent example of this mark issued on January 18th 1810. No surface damage or stress fractures, some gilding on the panel, one of the nicest marks to come to auction for some time. £110-130 Bid: £100 Bidder No. 2 28. Royal Exchange Assurance. Lead. W10D. Policy No. 74621. A good example of this third variant issued in 1777. No original colour or surface damage, top of crown has been repaired. £80-90 Bid: £55 Bidder No. 22 29. General Insurance Company of Ireland. Lead. W18D. A good example of the last of four variants issued by this Dublin company founded by two Dublin bankers, it is similar to W18C but with its policy panel removed, no surface damage, some flaking house paint. £160-180 Bid: £110 Bidder No. 20 30. Dublin Insurance Co. Lead. W21A. Policy No.3242. A good example of this rare Irish mark, possibly issued in the late 1700s, some original colour to the castles’ top, LHS of bow missing, small fatigue fissure in middle of panel. £230-250 Bid: £200 Bidder No. 2 31. Birmingham Fire Office Co. Copper. W42C. A good example of this mark, one of only three showing a fireman in action, some original gilding, with fraying at the edges. PLUS. Guardian Fire & Life Assurance Co. Copper. W57B. A good example of the second variant repainted in original colours, no flattening to Athene. PLUS. Salop Fire Office. Copper. W20B. A fair example of this mark issued in 1826 to replace the original lead mark, some original gilding on the panel and the leopards’ heads who also showing some material stress fractures, top LHS missing. (3) £50-70 Bid: £45 Bidder No. 18 32. Sun Fire Office. Lead. W3C. Policy No. 612254. A very good example of this third variant issued in 1785, no original colour or surface damage, minor flattening to the Sun’s nose. £70-90 Bid: £65 Bidder No. 2 33. Westminster Insurance Office. Lead. W5C(iii). Policy No.50449. A very good example of this last lead mark issued in 1790, no surface damage and two clean nail holes. £150-170 Bid: £140 Bidder No. 18 34. Sun Fire office. Lead. W3A(i). Policy No. 42747. A very good example of this early five figure mark issued in 1727, no surface damage, some additional nail holes and brown house paint, the mark also notes that it was taken off a building in Ware, Herts in June 1934. £130-140 Bid: £80 Bidder No. 2 35. Sun Fire Office. Copper. B551. A very good example of this well-known promotional mark issued in 1910 to commemorate the bicentenary of the company, all original rarer Blue background colour and some slight scuffing to the sun. £40-60 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 25 36. Sun Fire Office. Lead. W3A(i). Policy No. 9416. An excellent example of this early four figure mark issued in 1717, no surface damage and three clean nail holes, a must for the serious collector and rarely seen at auction. £280-300 Bid: £400 Bidder No. 17 37. Insurance Company of Scotland. Copper. W58A. A very good example of the only mark issued by this short-lived Edinburgh company, some original paint, clean nail holes, small fracture to the RHS. £60-80 Bid: £65 Bidder No. 4 38. Birmingham Fire Office Co. Copper. W42A. A good example of the first of five marks issued by the company still showing some original gilding, no flattening to the fireman, two expanded original nail holes. £50-60 Bid: £45 Bidder No. 22 39. New Bristol Fire Office. Copper. W12C. A very good example of this copper variant the last mark to be issued in 1807, this is one of the early copper marks due to the heavier gauge of the metal, some original gilding and the word BRISTOL is clearly visible on the panel. £100-120 Bid: £110 Bidder No. 17 40 Suffolk Fire Office. Copper. W37E. A very good example of the first variant of the copper mark showing the letter N in County reversed and hence its rarity and not often seen at our auctions, some original gilding, no flattening to the sheep but damage as shown to the nail holes. £160-180 Bid: £280 Bidder No. 2 41. Lion Fire Insurance Co. Copper. W114A. A good example of this Anglo-French mark, one of the last to be recorded by Wright, no original colour, no surface damage or flattening to the Lion, some fraying at the edges. £80-100 Bid: £200 Bidder No. 16 42. Royal Exchange Assurance. Copper. B633. A very good example of this later copper mark as detailed in Wright, dating form 1890 when the company extended its foreign operations, there were four different background colours, red, blue, orange and green, which this is. £60-80 Bid: £140 Bidder No. 5 43. West of England Fire Insurance Co. Copper. W48C. A very good example of the third of eight variants issued by this Exeter company which saw its origins due to a fire which destroyed most of a nearby town, the company rose to be one of the largest in the UK and formed part of Braidwood’s LFEE, some original gilding. No surface damage or flattening to Alfred. £50-70 Bid: £50 Bidder No. 14 44. Atlas Insurance Co. Tin. B780. A very good example of this later mark as detailed in Wright produced for overseas business in several colourways, all original gilding, some minor scuffing to the raised parts. £40-60 Bid: £45 Bidder No. 18 45. Provincial Fire Insurance Co. Tin. A163A(i)-TI. A very good example of the first of two variants issued by this late 19th century company, all original lithographic colour, no surface rust. £60-70 Bid: £45 Bidder No. 17 46. Prudential Assurance Brass Agency plate 33 x 17 cms. An excellent example of this late 19th century agency plate in remarkable condition. £25-30 Bid: £60 Bidder No. 22 47. A selection of Fire Insurance documents, to include policy details relating to Farming Insurance with some photocopies, calendars and parchments. (Available to view at the AGM.) £20-30 Bid: £20 Bidder No. 18 48. The British Fire Mark 1680-1879 by Brian Wright. A good example of this book first published in 1982 containing 482 pages of British Fire Mark information and forwarded by the then Circles President the Duke of Rutland. £10-15 Bid: £20 Bidder No. 18 Note: A number in brackets at the end of a description indicates the number of items in the lot. End of Sale