The Ocean Accident & Guarantee Corporation Advertising Plaque

This item is a little outside our normal area of interest but we could not resist grabbing it for our inventory. It features a marine scene with a dominant lighthouse shown in relief, built on a reef with sea gulls circling overhead with a seascape below. The company name is boldly shown to the bottom left corner of the frame as well as the head office address in London E.C.2. The image is signed in the bottom left corner with the initials J.N. who was the artist John Midderigh. The company was established in 1876 as a sister company to the Ocean, Railway and General Accident Assurance Company Ltd. On November 13 1890, Ocean and General and Ocean, Railway and General merged to form to the Ocean Accident & Guarantee Corporation. A year later, Ocean Accident was offering accident, accident liability and fidelity guarantee insurance and, by 1894, had extended its business to burglary and housebreaking, employers' liability, insurance during sickness, mortgage insurance and indemnity insurance. The company continued to grow and in 1910 became part of Commercial Union but was finally dissolved in 2005. The back of the plaque carries an original label stating 'Untarnishable Hand Wrought Silver Pewter by John Midderigh.' It seems this artist specialised in this type of relief pewter designs and he was clearly a very accomplished artist. We are unsure of the exact date but would estimate it is late 19th or early 20th century. In fine original condition with minor marks commensurate with age. Measures 11" x 8" (28 cm x 20.5 cm)