What is this?

[makov25]

What is this?

[Daniel Krause]

Hi,

it is a "provincial Fire Insurance" shield.
I remeber still such shields some years ago attached on old houses.
This shields did show that the owner had a fire insurance from this company.

Best regards

Daniel

[FrankS]

What is this?

A sign of the Provinzial Fire Insurance Company

Daniel beat me by 2 minutes.

I remember also those insurance company signs on old houses. But haven't seen one for many years.

[Kurt Doench]

For the non-Germans, you will of course have recognized the Prussian eagle, and the white-and-green shield on its breast is for the Prussian province of the Rhine, acquired in 1866. That's where the "Provinzial-" in the insurance company's name came from. Daniel, Frank, do you remember whether the company was based in Cologne or in Düsseldorf?

Greetings,

Schleppfux

[FrankS]

The Provinzial insurance company still exists. It is divided in three departments: Rhineland, Westfalia, and for Northern Germany.

See their webpage at : http://www.provinzial.de/

[makov25]

Thank you all for information.
Glenn