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●
(SLAVERY AND ABOLITION.)
[BARBAULD,
ANNA LAETITIA].
“Negro Woman who Sittest Pining
in Captivity, and Weepest over thy
Sick Child: tho’ no one seeth thee,
God seeth thee.”
White porcelain tea
cup and saucer, with two transfers of a
Negro woman, with her child on her lap;
and another transfer, slightly larger on the
saucer. Saucer 5
3
⁄
4
inches in diameter, the
teacup, 2
3
⁄
4
inches high; the handle
attached with “leaves” gold trimming to
both pieces.
A FLAWLESS EXAMPLE
[England, circa 1800-1830’s]
[2,000/3,000]
A superb example of this rare anti-slavery teacup and saucer. The quote is from Anna Laeticia
Barbauld’s “Hymns in Prose for Children,” number VIII, pages 53-63. (London: J.J. Johnson,
1781). The anti-slavery sentiment in Great Britain reached a peak in the final decades of the 18th
century with all manner of objects appearing at the anti-slavery fairs. Cups and saucers, ewers, pillows
and handbags among the favorites. Teacups helped remind young ladies and gentlemen NOT to use
Demerara (West India) sugar in their tea.
RARE ABOLITIONIST COSMETIC
POWDER-BOX
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●
(SLAVERY AND ABOLITION.)
WEDGEWOOD, JOSAIH.
Am I Not a
Man and a Brother.
Women’s oval
porcelain glazed brass powder box 2 x 1
1
⁄
2
inches in diameter, by one inch deep;
convex top bearing a transfer of the classic
kneeling slave in chains; in the back-
ground a slave ship and a scene of a hut,
presumably the captive’s home; a tiny mir-
ror in the inside of the lid; two faint early
hairline cracks in the lid
England, circa 1800
[3,000/4,000]
An exquisite little abolitionist’s makeup box
which, given the men’s styles of the day could
have served either sex. The image of the kneel-
ing slave was designed by the noted porcelain
manufacturer, Josiah Wedgewood for the British
and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society as their
motto. The theme of “Am I not a Man and a
Brother, was taken up by the American coun-
terpart, but substituted a woman for the man.
The earliest version of the latter was engraved
by African American artist Patrick Reason.
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