Fire Badge "N.Y.F.D. 38"
date: label: date made
content: late 19th century
name: label: maker
content: unknown
notes: label: Description
content: This shield-shaped fire badge was made for a fireman in Engine Company No. 38 of the New York Fire Department between 1860 and 1865. The badge is made from white metal, with the raised company number “38” in the center made of Prince’s metal. At the top is the badge number “4” inscribed into a circular plaque. The badge has the initials “N.Y.F.D.” at the top and a raised image of a hand pumped fire engine at the bottom. This was the second type of badge issued by the New York Fire Department, after an 1855 ordinance by the Common Council authorized a badge to be issued to the city’s firemen. Exempt firemen received a badge in white metal with numbers cast in Prince’s medal. Firemen that had not previously served five years received badges made of Prince’s metal with white metal numbers. As a perk of their service, volunteer firemen who served a certain number of years were often “exempt” from various civic responsibilities such as jury duty, peace-time militia service, and certain taxes.
label: Description
content: Metal firefighter’s badges were a part of the firefighter’s uniform since volunteer companies began to proliferate in the early 19th century. As volunteer companies gave way to municipal fire departments during the mid–19th century, these badges became mandated by uniform codes. Badges served as official identification at fire scenes, as access to derelict buildings by unscrupulous citizens could result in looting. Fire badges came in a variety of shapes, most notably circular, shield–shaped, or the Maltese cross. While shield–shaped badges were often worn on the chest, circular and cross-shaped badges can be seen on jacket lapels or soft caps. Badges usually detailed the company’s name, number and department, and were often decorated with various symbols of the profession such as hose carriages, hand–pumped engines, hoses, trumpets, helmets, hooks, and ladders. For paid municipal companies, many badges also featured the badge number of the wearer.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States
label: associated place
content: United States: New York, New York City
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Fire Fighting and Law Enforcement
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content: Work
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content: Firefighting Collection
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content: Fire Badges
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: 2005.0233.1337
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.1337
objectType: label: Object Name
content: badge, fireman's
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 2 in x 1 1/2 in; 5.08 cm x 3.81 cm