Lot Essay
The earliest known references to insurance badges date from the very late 17th century. However, it was during the 18th century that the growth of insuring businesses and houses took place, with firms attaching their insurance marks to the exterior of the building they insured. Theu also issued insurance badges to their employees, by way of identification, in the way Watermen had worn badges on their sleeves for many years. The Sun Insurance Company who commissioned this badge from the Batemans's, whose business premises and houses they insured, was founded in 1710. In their detailed book on insurance badges Badges of Extinction, The 18th and 19th Century Badges of Insurance Office Firemen, London, 1989, p. 88, B. Henham and B. Sharp suggest that this is a Director's medal or possibly for those on patrol as refered to in minutes of the Sun Company dated January 1806 'Resolved that part respecting the furnishing of Collectors with a small gilt Medal, engraved with the Sun, to enable them to attend & give their best assistance at such fires as may happen within their respective Districts, be adopted'