Printed broadside, 1804, promoting sales of insurance policies in the United States by a British company.

Titled “Proposals From The Phoenix Company Of London For Insuring Houses, Buildings, Stores, Ships In Harbour, Goods, Wares, And Merchandize, From Loss Or Damage By Fire.” The advertisement describes the company’s work “throughout Great-Britain…the Continent of America and West-India Islands” and lists the “Rates of Annual Premiums to be paid for Assurance against Fire” and the “Conditions of Insurance.”

This document seems to have been printed specifically for Charleston, S.C., as it states at the top, “United States of America, Charleston,” followed with the manuscript notation, “The Proposals for New Orleans precisely similar.”

The last printed line reads, “Persons desirous of effecting Insurances are requested to make Application to ________ in Charleston, who is appointed the Company’s Agent, and is fully authorised to grant Policies on Behalf of the Company.”