Trophy presented to the Association of Exempt Firemen
date: label: date made
content: ca 1899
name: label: maker
content: Pairpoint Corporation
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: Competition, fraternal bonds and honorable service were the hallmarks of 19th century fire companies, and ornate trophies served as recognition of these values. Trophies were often presented to veteran officers in appreciation of their service. One fire company might give a commemorative trophy to another as a goodwill offering or in gratitude for their hospitality. Trophies and other awards could also be won in competitions between fire companies to demonstrate their professional skills, or even in sporting contests like baseball.
label: Description (Brief)
content: This silver plated trophy was created by the Pairpoint Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1899. The trophy has a plaque on its ebony base with the inscription “Presented to the Association of Exempt Firemen of Paterson, New Jersey, by the Liberty Fire Co. No. 5 of Reading, Pennsylvania.” The word "Victory" is incorporated into the design of the lid beneath a spread-winged eagle. The Association of Exempt Firemen was a group formed to foster camaraderie between volunteer firemen after they had ceased participating in active duty. The cup was presented to the Paterson Exempts by a small delegation of the Liberty Fire Company on September 2, 1899. It was given to commemorate a visit to Paterson by the entire Reading company in March of that year, when the Exempts served as hosts. Such fraternal visits between fire companies and veterans groups were a common practice in 19th century fire service.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Fire Fighting and Law Enforcement
label: See more items in
content: Firefighting Collection
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content: Trophies
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of CIGNA Museum and Art Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2005.0233.0916
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0916
objectType: label: Object Name
content: fireman's trophy
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: silver plated (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 19 in; 48.26 cm
label: Measurements
content: part: lid: 6 1/2 in x 7 1/2 in; 16.51 cm x 19.05 cm
label: Measurements
content: part: base: 4 1/2 in; 11.43 cm