This heavy iron and painted tin hanging sign is ripe with elements from Scottish heraldry, echoing the region’s importance to the insurance company it represents. Alliance Assurance, established in 1824, succeeded to compete against the Act of 1720 which established government-issued exclusive contracts for maritime insurance to the London Assurance Company and the Royal Exchange Company. This was in concert with their life and fire policies.
Four red flags sit atop the castle, a show of traditional strength for the company’s logo. Founded by Sir Moses Montefiore and Nathan Mayer Rothschild, with partners, they held 5 million pounds sterling to secure their 50,000 shares, a tag line they used for decades. They expanded into international markets within the year, and were led by actuary Benjamin Gompertz, a noted author of famous author of statistics.
The latin motto, “Multi Societate Tutiores” closely translates to “Many Safe Fellowships”, and lions standing rampart hold the center, while the crossed keys of security are set atop a crown of fire with shields below signifying their life and marine policies. The iron bracket is top looped, and this may have well been a principle company sign at their Edinburgh office or their Bartholomew street branch in London, established well before this version of their 1880s logo.
