U.S. Fidelity & Guaranty Co. Building

This is a combination inkstand and cigar humidor in the form of the U.S. Fidelity & Guaranty Co. Annex Building in Baltimore, Maryland, complete with advertising inscriptions.

The inkstand is cast from spelter metal and meticulously sculpted to resemble the architectural details of the U.S. Fidelity & Guaranty Annex Building. The building is depicted as a multi-story structure with numerous windows, cornices, and other architectural elements typical of early 20th-century commercial buildings.

Prominently inscribed on the building’s façade are various advertisements for the U.S. Fidelity & Guaranty Co.’s services:

• WE WILL BOND YOU (appears twice, once on the front base and again on the building itself, emphasizing their core business of surety bonds).
• AGENTS IN EVERY CITY / CAPITAL $2,000,000 (highlighting their extensive network and financial strength).
• ACCIDENT – LIABILITY – AUTOMOBILE – STEAM BOILER (listing various insurance coverages offered).
• JUDICIAL BONDS – CONTRACT BONDS – BURGLARY – PLATE GLASS (further detailing their surety and insurance products).
• WE WILL BOND YOU – FIDELITY BONDS (reiterating a key offering).

The inkwell itself is integrated into the front base of the building, specifically within the section marked “WE WILL BOND YOU”. It features a swivel lid with an eagle design that pivots on a peg to open and close, revealing the glass ink insert beneath.

The roof of the building has an embedded clock with a visible face. This roof section is designed to be unattached to the lower part of the building and lifts off, revealing an open interior cavity. This cavity was supposedly used as a humidor to store cigars. The inkwell likely served as a promotional item distributed to USF&G agents to showcase the company’s stability and services, with the built-in humidor offering a touch of hospitality to clients, as suggested by lore. The underside of this removable roof/humidor lid is marked “Made by the Art Metal Works, Newark N.J.”

History of the U.S. Fidelity & Guaranty Co. (USF&G):

The U.S. Fidelity & Guaranty Co. was founded in 1896 in Baltimore, Maryland. It quickly grew to become one of the leading surety and insurance companies in the United States. Their focus initially was on providing fidelity bonds (guaranteeing the honesty of employees) and surety bonds (guaranteeing the performance of contracts). They later expanded into various lines of insurance, as advertised on the inkstand. The company was a prominent institution in Baltimore and played a significant role in the insurance industry for over a century.

History of the Art Metal Works, Newark N.J.:

The Art Metal Works was a company founded in Newark, New Jersey, in 1897 by Louis V. Aronson. Louis was an exceptionally gifted man who at 16 years old received a U.S., Patent for a metal plating process he developed, and which had an immediate commercial value. Not only was he able to sell his patent for a very good price, but he also retained legal rights to use his own process commercially. He took proceeds from the sale to open The Art Metal Works in New York city. The following year he moved his factory to Newark, New Jersey. Before long the company produced lamps, book ends, statues and other decorative items for home and office use. There was a high level of attention to producing a quality product which appealed to the buying public.