Fire Badge "William Penn Hose"
date: label: date made
content: late 19th century
name: label: maker
content: unknown
notes: 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: Description
content: This shield-shaped metal fire badge belonged to a member of the William Penn Hose Company of No. 18 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1830, it operated as a hose company until it acquired a steam fire engine in 1864. It operated as a hose and steam fire engine company until 1871 when Philadelphia’s paid firefighting department was established. The badge is decorated with circular inscriptions around the rim, with several geometric patterns around the inscription, which reads “WILLIAM PENN / HOSE” all filled in with black enamel. The center of the badge is cut out, with the number “18” remaining in the middle.
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
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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: 2005.0233.1390
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.1390
objectType: label: Object Name
content: badge, fireman's
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 1 3/8 in x 1 1/4 in; 3.4925 cm x 3.175 cm