Fire Mark Circle Auction Catalogue: November 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. Highest Bid & Bidder No. 1. Hand in Hand Fire Office. Lead. W2A. Policy No.84965. A poor example of this early company’s mark issued in 1776, the crown and a Fleur de Lys are separated from the clasped hands, no original colour. £70-90 Bid: £60 Bidder No. 3 2. Westminster Fire Office. Lead. W5B. Policy No.12358. A good example of this early mark issued in 1729, no original colour or surface damage, left hand hanging tab missing. £160-180 Bid: £65 Bidder No. 3 3. London Assurance. Lead. W9E. Policy No.29935, issued in 1759 to a property in Chichester. A very good example of this very early mark showing the wider policy panel, no surface or nail hole damage, spear tip missing from above fist. £220-240 Bid: £180 Bidder No. 12 4. Royal Exchange Assurance. W10D. Lead. Policy No.34250, issued in 1758 to a property in Alresford. An excellent example of this lead mark, showing no surface wear and an absence of nail holes, these early Royal Exchange marks were sometimes fixed with clips on the panel as can be seen by the flattening of the lead at the 0 on the policy number. £140-160 Bid: £80 Bidder No. 2 5. Phoenix Assurance Co. Lead. W23A. Policy No. 1085, issued in 1782 when a group of London sugar barons formed their own company to outbid the established Sun and RE. An excellent example of this early mark and rarely do we see any marks issued during the first year of the company, no original colour or surface damage, the mark originally belonged to a Phoenix branch manager who was a prominent member of the Circle at the time. £240-260 Bid: £220 Bidder No. 2 6. Royal Exchange Assurance. Lead. W10D. Policy No.64988, issued in 1778. A very good example of this lead mark, showing no surface wear and clean nail holes, these early Royal Exchange marks were sometimes clipped to the building but there is evidence of nail holes, some original colour possibly a repainting. £120-140 Bid: £130 Bidder No. 5 7. Royal Exchange Assurance. Lead. W10F. Policy No.168005, issued in 1798 to a property in Wickham. Hants. A good example of this later lead mark, showing no surface wear, some slight gilding to the building remains but no background blue, RHS of crown detached. £90-110 Bid: £90 Bidder No. 5 8. Wiltshire & Western Assurance Soc. W26A. Lead. Policy No. 493. A very good example of this reproduction mark, together with Royal Exchange Assurance. Lead W10K reproduction, both marks showing the inflexibility of the use of modern lead. (2) £20-30 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 4 9. Sun Fire Office. Lead. W3B. Policy No.146535. A very good example of this mark issued in 1754, no original colour or flattening to the Sun. £70-90 Bid: £90 Bidder No. 5 10. Sun Fire Office. Lead. W3C. Policy No.661612. A good example of this mark issued in 1796, no original colour or flattening to the Sun, some tearing at the nail holes. £70-90 Bid: £60 Bidder No. 1 11. Sun Fire Office. Lead. W3C. Policy No.465475. A very good example of this mark issued in 1782, no original colour or flattening to the Sun. £70-90 Bid: £75 Bidder No. 20 12. Phoenix Assurance Co. Copper. W23G. Policy No. 189829, issued in 1800 by a group of London sugar barons who formed their own company to outbid the established Sun and RE. An excellent example of this early copper mark with its painted policy number, all original colour, no surface damage, top of spear missing, the mark like the Lead in Lot 5 originally belonged to a Phoenix branch manager. £90-110 Bid: £160 Bidder No. 10 13. Phoenix Assurance Co. Copper. W23J. issued in 1820 by a group of London sugar barons who formed their own company to outbid the established Sun and RE. A good example of the later variant issued with spear but later removed and with impressed name, possible repainted colours. £30-40 Bid: £35 Bidder No. 25 14. Birmingham Fire Office Co. Copper W42C. A good example of this copper variant also issued in Brass and Tin, no surface damage and clean nail holes, most original colour. PLUS. Farmers & General Fire & Life Ins. Zinc. W92B also issued in Copper, a good example of this mark in an unusual material, no fraying at the edges or flattening to the wheatsheaf. (2) £60-70 Bid: £40 Bidder No. 3 15. Commercial Union Assurance. Enamelled tin. B914. A good example of this rare enamelled circular variant still showing its original colour, some chipping at the nail holes and on the raised flag, these were used primarily in the Dominions due to the temperate climate and the ability of the enamel to withstand the weather conditions. £40-50 Not Sold. 16. Sun Fire Office. Copper. W3I. A very good example of this copper variant issued in 1850-65, and still retaining all its original colour and nailing lugs, with no flattening to the Suns face. PLUS. Sun Londres. Tin. B556. A good example of this later variant primarily used for overseas business, all original colour and a clean lithographed Suns face, a nice combination of two Sun marks. (2) £50-60 Bid: £50 Bidder No. 5 17. Royal Insurance Company. Copper. W95B & 95D. Two good examples of this Liverpool company’s marks from different periods as shown by the lengths of the Liver Birds wings, some original colour and fraying at the edges. (2) £35-40 Bid: £25 Bidder No. 4 18. Alliance Fire & Life Assurance Co. Copper. W63A. A good example of the first of three variants issued by the company, some original gilding, no flattening to the castle. PLUS. Northern Assurance Co. Copper. W88A. A good example of this mark from a company based in Aberdeen, an amalgamation of some forty companies under the governance of Sir Alexander Anderson, some original red and gilding on the shield. (2) £40-50 Bid: £40 Bidder No. 24 19. Guardian Fire & Life Assurance Co. Copper. W45B. A good example of this second variant having similarities to the first, no surface damage or flattening to Athene, overpainted in brown house paint. PLUS. Guardian. Tin. B797. A promotional mark similar to W57A&B, used for overseas business in the early 20th century. PLUS. Phoenix Fire Office. Copper. W23G. Policy No.*7134*. A good example of this first copper variant issued in the early 1800s. no original colour or flattening to the Phoenix, spear tip missing and some surface scuffing. (3) £40-50 Bid: £35 Bidder No. 24 20. Patriotic Insurance Co. of Ireland. Lead. W73A. An excellent example of this early Irish mark based in Dublin, no original colour or surface damage and clean nail holes. £220-250 Bid: £200 Bidder No. 2 21. Saint Patrick Insurance Co. of Ireland. Copper. W74A. An excellent example of this rare Irish mark from this short-lived Dublin company, 1824-27, they overreached themselves and could no longer afford to pay out on their policies, due in part to the fraudulent risks in Dublin, the company passed to the Alliance in 1827. £250-280 Bid: £190 Bidder No. 2 22. Queen Insurance Co. Tin. W99C. A very good example of this third variant of five issued by this Liverpool company, all original colour and gilding with some flaking to the background. £40-45 Bid: £120 Bidder No. 14 23. Hibernian Insurance Co. Lead. W13B(i). A very good example of this early Irish Mark from the first company to issue fire insurance policies, no original colour or flattening to the Harp, some strengthening at the back of the crown. £180-200 Bid: £190 Bidder No. 16 24. Dundee Assurance Co. Lead. W22B(i). Policy No.2089. An excellent example of this rare Scottish mark rarely seen at auctions, no original colour or gilding or surface damage with clean nail holes. £300-350 Bid: £720 Bidder No. 11 25. Prudential Assurance Co. Tin. A99B-TI. A very good example of this rare company mark dating from the 1840s, not listed in Wright or Bulau, no surface damage or rust and still retaining its original colour. £70-80 Bid: £205 Bidder No. 15 26. Bristol Crown Fire Office. Lead. W6C. A very good example of this early 18th century mark, the third of four issued by the company before being taken over by the Sun, it was noted that they had their own engine house and two manual fire engines, no original colour in the recessed parts and some strengthening to the rear of the panel. £160-180 Bid: £80 Bidder No. 24 27. Essex Equitable Insurance Soc. Copper. W35A. A very good example of a single-issue mark from this Colchester based company, who ran fire engines in both Colchester and Chelmsford, whose manual was transferred to a local stately house when the business was taken over by the Atlas in 1911. £60-70 Bid: £150 Bidder No. 24 28. Newcastle Upon Tyne Fire Office. Lead. W24B.Policy No.4981. An excellent example of this mark from this north eastern company who ran fire engines from several locations stationed throughout the town until the local authority took over in the 1850s, no original colour or surface damage. £160-180 Bid: £110 Bidder No. 23 29. Phoenix Assurance Co. Tin. B687. A near mint example of this later mark, as mentioned in Wright primarily used for overseas business, all original lithographed colours. £50-60 Bid: £65 Bidder No. 8 30. Phoenix Assurance Co. Copper. A23F(ii)-C. A very good example of this later mark, as mentioned in Wright primarily used for overseas business, all original colours and no surface damage. £50-60 Bid: £55 Bidder No. 24 31. Norwich Union Fire Insurance Soc. Lead. W29A. A very good example of the first and only lead mark issued by the company, no original colour or surface damage. Clean nail holes. £180-200 Bid: £450 Bidder No. 11 32. London & Lancashire Fire Insurance Co. Copper W101B. A very good example of this later company’s mark still retaining its original dulled colour, some minor flaking to the shield. £40-50 Bid: £45 Bidder No. 25 33. Provincial Insurance Company Ltd. Tin. B1004/A163A(ii)-TI. A good example of this early 20th century company mark, the smaller of two similar ones issued by them, all original paint and some flaking at the edges. £40-50 Bid: £40 Bidder No. 25 34. The English Insurance Co. Ltd. Tin. A188A-TI. A mint example of this very rare early 20th century company in business for only four years and issued only one mark before passing to the General Accident. £70-90 Bid: £205 Bidder No. 15 35. King Insurance Co. Ltd. Tin. B999/A160A-TI. An excellent example of this rare early 20th century mark from a company that was only in business for 14 years before being wound up. £70-80 Bid: £80 Bidder No. 9 Note: A number in brackets at the end of a description indicates the number of items in the lot. End of Sale Back to Previous Page.