Mutual Insurance Co. fire marker without the 1784. Used primarily for advertising purposes, fire marks were used from 1752 to circa 1900. Going back to their early practices, the Philadelphia Contributionship and The Baltimore Equitable Society still issue fire marks. This particular mark was issued from 1808 to 1829. Commonly known as the “Green Tree Insurance Company,” this is the third variant of four different cast iron fire marks issued by the Mutual Assurance Company, The raised tree branches and trunk on the front are hollow on the mark’s reverse. The hollow back reduced the amount of iron need to make the mark, thereby reducing its cost, and enabled the molten iron to cool more evenly.
PERIOD: 19th Century
ORIGIN: Pennsylvania, United States