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Firemark of the Insurance Company of North America, circa 1805

Description
The Insurance Company of North America was founded in 1792 by a group of influential citizens of Philadelphia. It was the first joint stock insurance company in America. The company initially provided marine insurance but soon added fire insurance, becoming the third fire insurance company in Philadelphia. Because of its marine insurance experience, the Insurance Company introduced the concept of insuring the contents of a house (cargo) as well as the structure. The company adopted an eagle rising from a rock as its firemark, originally commissioned from Francis LeGrand an Irish emigre lately arrived from Dublin. There are only 6 specimens of this mark known to exist; one remains on the Bell House of the Moravian Church in Bethlehem, PA. From the collection of Milton Celsnick, Penn's Landing, Philadlephia.