FIRE MARK: Rare Royal Insurance Company Shield Plaque- SIGN/MARKER

Description

ROYAL GLOBE FIRE MARK
The Royal Globe's Operation in America has been involved in many historical events. The Royal was the insurance company that had a majority of the coverage exposure for the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, as well as that for the crash of the air ship "Hindenberg"
The original Royal fire mark had a crest/ornate shield shape with border on it and was made of cooper. It was green with a red banner with the word Royal on it. Above the banner was a crown and below it was a Liver Bird, which was symbolic of the city of  Liverpool, England - the first home of Royal Insurance.
This mark is of metal (non-ferrous) construction and measures approximately 9.75" X 11.50" and was cast by John Wright. It is in very good condition with only minor nicks/chips/paint loss. This mark is not one of the ones that is regularly seen up for sale.
This would make an excellent addition for any collector of firefighting or insurance memorabilia, an agent/broker, or a company employee/retiree.
HISTORY OF THE ROYAL GLOBE
The Royal Insurance Company was established in the major commercial center of
Liverpool
on May 31, 1845, to provide insurance coverage "... against the risk of loss or damage by fire or by storm or by other casualty ..." on all types of property, and to provide life insurance and annuities. The capital of the company was £2 million, divided into 100,000 shares of £20.
Expansion overseas began immediately, and by 1850 agencies had been established in
Australia
,
Canada
,
Singapore
, and
South America
. The company's operations in the
United States
, which would have a major effect on its financial position, began in 1851 when the first agency was opened in
New York
.
Baltimore
,
Maryland
;
Philadelphia
,
Pennsylvania
;
Savannah
,
Georgia
; and
Charleston
,
South Carolina
, each had an agency by the end of the year. By the time the company arrived in
San Francisco
in April 1853, agencies had been established in a total of ten U.S. cities.
In 1919, the biggest merger in British insurance history took place when the Royal acquired the enormously successful Liverpool and
London
and Globe Insurance Company. The latter was established in
Liverpool
in 1836 as the Liverpool Fire and Life Insurance Company and had risen to an eminent position principally through acquisition. In 1847 it purchased the business of the
London
,
Edinburgh
and Dublin Insurance Company and in 1864 it merged with the long-established Globe Insurance Company. The Royal and the Liverpool and
London
and Globe were the major provincial insurance companies of the late 19th century.
In July 1996 the Sun Alliance Group plc and Royal Insurance Holdings plc, a merger that created Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Group plc (RSA). The new group started off as the largest composite insurance company in the
United Kingdom
and
Europe
. The Sun Fire Office, as it was originally known, was founded in 1710. Its founder was the eccentric Charles Povey, whose interest in astronomy may have influenced his choice of name. Sun Alliance Insurance Office, retained its separate identity for almost 250 years until its 1959 merger with the Alliance Assurance Company, founded in 1824.
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