September 2024 Picture of the Month

The latest project I have embarked on is something of a voyage of discovery, exploring the history and evolution of cast-metal signage, and at this very early stage, is concerned primarily with trying to ascertain just how far back in time cast sigange – especially typographical signage – can be traced. It was triggered, as are so many of my projects, by coming up with a question related to a completely separate subject to which nobody seemed able to give me an answer. Cue some fascinating research. This image shows a 'fire mark', a cast metal plaque affixed to buildings from the 18th century identifying which insurance company protected the building and, if the property was ablaze, would compensate one of the many private fire brigades if they came and put the fire out. This particular sign was used by the Sun Fire Office in the very late 1790s. It is made of cast lead – a strange choice of material as the melting pointof lead is about half the temperature of a burning building!  Canon 5D MkIV, 300mm lens.