Fire Mark Circle Auction Catalogue: October 2025 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. Securitas Antwerpia. Lead. B1077. A very good example of this thinly pressed oval Belgian mark, no original black background but some gilding of the figure remains. £30-40 Bid: £45 Bidder No. 16 2. Sun Fire Office. Lead. W3B. Policy No. 159439. A very good example of this third variant issued in 1756, no surface damage or flattening to the sun. £70-80 Bid: £70 Bidder No. 15 3. Salop Fire Office. Lead. W20A. Policy No. 398. A very good example of the early company’s mark issued in 1780, the first year of the company, no surface damage and clean nail holes. £160-180 Bid: £180 Bidder No. 19 4. Manchester Fire Office. Lead. W14A. Policy No 1326. A good example of this early mark from a short-lived company 1771-1788, there is a piece missing below the Lion. £300-320 Bid: £320 Bidder No. 8 5. Norwich General Assurance Co. Lead. W28A. Policy No.3188. A good example of the first mark to be issued by this company only in business for 30 years before amalgamating with the Norwich Union, no surface damage, but a stress fracture to the policy panel. £140-160 Bid: £140 Bidder No. 5 6. General Insurance Co. of Ireland. Lead. W18B. Policy No.3134. A good example of this Irish mark, establish by two Dublin bankers in 1777, and later renamed as the Phoenix of Ireland, some damage at the top nail holes and some stress fractures on the edges. £340-360 Bid: £260 Bidder No. 5 7. American Reproduction Fire Marks. to include a presentation mounted Mutual Ins. Co. mark. B22 (green tree), which was presented to the Chairman of the FMC by the Officers of the AFMC, dated 1965, together with a smaller Squatty Oval. B40, and a Fire Assoc. of Philadelphia. B87. Plus two smaller examples of Miniature marks mounted on wooden boards. (q) £40-50 Bid: Unsold Bidder No. 8. Royal Exchange Assurance. Lead. W10F. Policy No.120443. A very good example of this variant issued in 1791. £100-120 Bid: £65 Bidder No. 16 9. Newcastle upon Tyne Fire Office. Lead. W24B. Policy No.2697. A very good example of this second mark of three to be issued by the company, no surface. damage or flattening to the Castles. £180-220 Bid: £150 Bidder No. 5 10. Hand in Hand Fire Office. Lead. W2C(iv). Policy. No.103583. A very good example of this last impressed number policy panel, issued in 1819. No surface damage or stress fractures. £150-170 Bid: £150 Bidder No. 4 11. Westminster Insurance Office. Lead. W5C(iii). Policy No. 53408, issued in 1805. A very good example of this last impressed number policy panel. no surface damage or stress fractures to this very thin lead mark. £150-170 Bid: £130 Bidder No. 18 12. Royal Exchange Assurance. Lead. W10D. Policy No.64631. A very good example of this early convex variant issued in 1773, no surface damage or flattening to the Exchange building. £150-170 Bid: £100 Bidder No. 16 13. London Assurance. Lead. W9D. Policy No.8163. An excellent example of this very early rarely seen four figure mark issued in 1724 and last seen in 1982 at the Bowser Collection in Glasgow, no surface damage or flattening to Britannia, complete with spear tip and illustrated in Addis. £400-420 Bid: £420 Bidder No. 21 14. British Fire Office. Lead. W30B. A very good example of this second circular variant that quickly replaced W30A soon after its introduction in 1799, the company persevered after being opposed by the three principal offices of the Sun. RE and London who had offices in close proximity in Cornhill. £150-170 Bid: £150 Bidder No. 8 15. Sun Fire Office. Lead. W3B. Policy No. 179532. A very good example of this early variant issued on the 3rd of December 1760 to John Simpson a Brewer of Brick House Sturry, Kent it was removed from the Welsh Harp public house in Sturry near Canterbury. £120-140 Bid: £80 Bidder No. 2 16. New Bristol Fire Office. Lead. W12A(ii). A very good example of this variant with the painted policy number panel, and showing no evidence of such, probably issued in 1788 when additional agents were hired and the business expanded, one of four companies vying for business in Bristol. £150-170 Bid: £180 Bidder No. 14 17. Bristol Crown Fire Office. Lead. W6A(ii). Policy No.13912. A very good example of this early company mark with a painted policy number dating from the 1770s, no surface damage or stress fractures, some strengthening to the back of the panel. £160-170 Bid: £150 Bidder No. 5 18. Bath Fire Office. Lead. W11A(i). Policy No.2501. A very good example of this mark, the first of three variants and issued in 1780 when the company started its own fire brigade with several engines and firemen later joining forces with the Bath Sun Fire Office. £160-180 Bid: £240 Bidder No. 8 19. Kent Insurance Company. Lead. W36A(ii)(iii). A very good example of the first variant in lead with a painted policy number, of which nothing remains, no surface damage or stress fractures. £160-180 Bid: £180 Bidder No. 16 20. Bath Sun Fire Office. Lead. W16A(ii). Policy No.1988. A very good example of this early company’s mark issued in the 1780s still showing some original weathered colour and gilding, some flattening to the Sun’s nose. £180-200 Bid: £520 Bidder No. 21 21. Dublin Insurance Company. Lead. W21A. Policy No.656. An excellent example of this early Irish mark from one of several companies running fire brigades in Dublin including the Phoenix who latterly agreed to take over all their outstanding risks. £220-250 Bid: £520 Bidder No. 21 22. British Fire Office. Lead. W30C. A very good example of this third circular variant, and the last of the lead marks, the company as noted struggled to fight off earlier rivals, and later merging with one of them, the Sun. £150-170 Bid: £120 Bidder No. 8 23. Beacon Fire insurance Company. Copper. W56A. A very good example of the rarely seen first of only three similar variants, from this short-lived company of only six years who over-reached themselves and were taken over by the Protector in 1827 after paying off their managing director. £110-130 Bid: £120 Bidder No. 20 24. Beacon Fire insurance Company. Copper. W56B. A very good example of the second of three similar variants from this short-lived company, 1821-27 who started life under the auspices of the European Insurance Company, only to be taken over by the Protector, itself only lasting another five years. £110-130 Bid: £190 Bidder No. 4 25. Beacon Fire insurance Company. Copper. W56C. A very good example of the last of three similar variants, and never all three together from this short-lived company, 1821-27 which started life under the auspices of the European Insurance Company, only to be taken over by the Protector, itself only lasting another five years. £110-130 Bid: £110 Bidder No. 4 26. Palladium Life & Fire Assurance Company. Copper W72A. A good example of the only fire mark issued by the company, repainted in original colours, no flattening to Athene, but a minor stress fracture above the panel. £60-70 Bid: £65 Bidder No. 19 27. Bath Sun Fire. W16B. Copper. A very good example of the second variant in copper from this early company still showing some of its original gilding, no flattening to the Sun’s face or other surface damage. £80-100 Bid: £50 Bidder No. 11 28. Queen Insurance Company. Tin. W99C. A very good example of the third of five variants from this Liverpool company that later merged with the Royal in 1891, all original dulled colour and gilding. £40-50 Bid: £75 Bidder No. 8 29. Scottish Union Insurance Company. Copper. W75A. A good example of this first of five variants from this Edinburgh company, no original colour or flattening to the Lion. £40-50 Bid: £40 Bidder No. 8 30. West of England Fire Insurance Company. Copper. W48F. A very good example of this oval mark, the second last to be issued by this Exeter company, all showing the figure of Alfred, some original colour and gilding and no flatting to the figure. £50-60 Bid: £70 Bidder No. 4 31. Shropshire and North Wales Assurance Company. Brass. W89A. A good example of this Shrewsbury company’s mark unusually in brass, no original colour and a minor material stress fracture, that has been stabilised. £50-60 Bid: £70 Bidder No. 8 32. British Fire Office. Copper. W30E. A good example of this fifth circular variant, still showing its gilding to the Lion and lettering no flattening or damage to the nail holes, the company later merged with the Sun, one of its main rivals. £40-50 Bid: £35 Bidder No. 11 33. Insurance Company of Scotland. Copper. W58A. A good example of the only mark issued by this short-lived Edinburgh company of 27 years before being taken over by the Alliance, some original colour and gilding, no flattening to the crown. £50-60 Bid: £85 Bidder No. 21 34. British Fire Office. Copper. W30D. A good example of this fourth circular variant, issued in 1805 primarily for use in Ireland with British and Irish on the lettering, still showing some gilding to the Lion, no flattening or damage to the nail holes. £60-70 Bid: £85 Bidder No. 4 35. Caledonian Insurance Company. Copper. W43A. A very good example of this first issue mark with others following a similar pattern, most original colour and no damage to the thistle. ALSO. Another similar to W43A/C in Enamelled cast iron in perfect condition. (2) £60-70 Bid: £40 Bidder No. 11 36. Sun Fire Office. Copper. W3H. A good example of this first copper variant issued in 1839, still showing some gilding to the sun’s face and rays, and still retaining its fixing lugs, no flattening to the sun. ALSO. Sun Fire Office. Copper. A promotional mark issued in 1910 to commemorate the bicentenary of the company, showing a black roundel as opposed to blue, see Addis 3I(ii)C. (2) £60-70 Bid: £50 Bidder No. 15 37. Royal Insurance Company. Copper. W95B. A good example of the second of ten variants, according to Addis from this Liverpool company showing the Liver Birds wings of different lengths, some original green background and red dulled colour, no surface damage or missing parts. ALSO. another Royal Insurance. W95E. Copper. A good example of this later variant in a different shield shape with crown on the top, no surface damage or gilding to the red background. (2) £50-60 Bid: £35 Bidder No. 17 38. London & Lancashire Fire Insurance Company. Copper. W101B. A good example of this late Victorian company (1861-1961) originally named the London & Liverpool and renamed in 1920 due to their offices being in both cities, they produced over 23 different variants due to their extensive overseas operations, see Addis A106A-M, original colour to the shields and background. £40-50 Bid: £40 Bidder No. 7 39 Union Fire Office. Tin. W4E. A good example of this later variant primarily used for overseas business, it has a similar variant in copper for use in the UK, most original background colour and gilding to the clasped hands. £35-40 Bid: £45 Bidder No. 2 40. New Bristol Fire Office. Copper. W12C. A very good example of this last variant of three, with the painted policy number panel, showing no evidence of such, probably issued in 1807 when additional agents were hired and the business expanded, one of four companies vying for business in Bristol, small repair to the left tab. £110-130 Bid: £90 Bidder No. 5 41. Farmers and General Fire & Life Insurance Institution Copper. W92B. A good example of this second of two variants from this short-lived company before amalgamating with the Alliance, no original colour or damage to the wheatsheaf, covered in brown house paint. £30-40 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 8 42. Notts & Derby Fire & Life Assurance Company. Copper. W87F. A very good example of this last mark to be issued from a new die with the makers name G.LINGARD on the garter, some original green and red on the shield, one of the better examples due to the retention of the garter tab. £40-50 Bid: £130 Bidder No. 4 43. Phoenix Assurance Company. Copper. W23G. Policy No. 118210. A good example of this last copper mark with the painted policy number, issued in 1795, no original colour or flattening to the Phoenix, spear tip reattached. ALSO. Phoenix Assurance Copper. W23J(ii). A good example of this later variant issued in 1820, some original gilding and black background, no flattening to the Phoenix or pyre, no spear tip. (2) £50-60 Bid: £35 Bidder No. 5 44. Manchester Fire & Life Assurance Company. Tin. W71E. A good example of this last variant primarily used for business overseas, some dulled colour, no surface rusting. £30-40 Bid: £30 Bidder No. 7 45. Norwich Union Fire Insurance Society. Copper. W29P. A good example of the last of the 16 marks issued by the company, all original dulled colour, no surface damage. ALSO. Norwich Union Fire Ins. Soc. Tin. W29J. A fair example of this earlier variant in tin, no original colour and some surface rust on the back, some damage to the right nail hole. (2) £40-50 Bid: £35 Bidder No. 16 46. A collection of four rarer tin marks in poor condition and fraying at the edges with some surface rust, including the North British W53A. Scottish Union W75B. Norwich Union W29E, and the Phoenix W23I, the unusually small round variant issued only in the Midlands in 1820. (4) £30-40 Bid: £45 Bidder No. 18 End of Sale (A number in brackets at the end of a description indicates the number of items in the lot where this exceeds one.)