Wedgwood anti-slavery medal in summer sale

A rare and historically significant Wedgwood anti slavery medallion, dating to around 1787, will feature in Newcastle’s Anderson and Garland’s forthcoming Fine Silver and Objects of Vertu auction on July 22, estimated at £1,200 to £1,800.

The ceramic medallion depicts a kneeling figure in chains, his wrists and ankles bound, with the poignant inscription Am I Not a Man and a Brother. This powerful image became a defining symbol of the abolitionist movement in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.

Josiah Wedgwood, one of the most influential potters and industrialists of his age, produced the medallion in support of the campaign to end the transatlantic slave trade. As a pioneering abolitionist, Wedgwood chose to distribute the medallions free of charge at meetings of the Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade. Their striking design and emotive message ensured widespread circulation, with reproductions appearing in prints, textiles and other decorative arts.

The modelling of the medallion is traditionally attributed to William Hackwood, Wedgwood’s principal modeller, although the exact process by which the printed seal was translated into ceramic form remains somewhat unclear. The design itself was adapted from a seal created for the Committee for the Abolition of the Slave Trade, commissioned in July 1787.

Josiah Wedgwood’s decision to publicly support the anti-slavery movement was as courageous as it was progressive. Many of his customers at the time were connected to, or profited from, the slave trade. His actions therefore represented not only a moral stance but a potential risk to his business interests.

Wedgwood anti-slavery medallions are held in major collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian Institution, and the V&A Wedgwood Collection in Staffordshire.

Fred Wyrley-Birch, Director at Anderson and Garland, said: “The medallion is a powerful statement of conscience and marks a pivotal moment in the history of Western abolitionism. It reflects Josiah Wedgwood’s firm support for the cause at a time when doing so carried genuine commercial risk. That he proceeded regardless speaks volumes about his character and convictions.”

The medallions were not only distributed within Britain. In 1788, the abolitionist Thomas Clarkson wrote to Wedgwood requesting as many medallions as could be spared ahead of a tour of the southern counties campaigning against the trade. That same year, Wedgwood sent a parcel of them to Benjamin Franklin, then President of the Pennsylvania Society for the Abolition of Slavery. In his reply, Franklin remarked that the medallion might have as much impact as any written pamphlet in promoting the abolitionist cause. Neither Wedgwood nor Franklin would live to see the abolition of the slave trade enacted, but their contributions proved instrumental in its eventual realisation.

It is widely accepted by historians that Wedgwood financed the cost of producing and distributing the medallions himself. At the time, cameos of similar size and quality were being sold for three guineas each, a considerable sum in the late eighteenth century and equivalent to over £500 today.

This remarkable medallion is not the only piece in Anderson and Garland’s upcoming auction to carry connections to Benjamin Franklin. Also offered for sale is a rare example of the celebrated Libertas Americana medal. Commissioned by Franklin in 1782 and struck in Paris the following year, the medal commemorates American independence and the key military victories at Saratoga and Yorktown that secured French support during the Revolutionary War.

The medal was discovered during one of Anderson and Garland’s regular valuation events, held in Tynemouth, Newcastle. A member of the public brought the item in, unaware of its historical significance or potential value. Following an expert appraisal and professional grading, it will now be offered with an estimate of £50,000 to £80,000. In recent years, similar examples have fetched well into six figures, with the current auction record standing at £251,000, achieved in August 2024.

Fred Wyrley-Birch commented: “It is a rare privilege to handle an object so steeped in the shared story of nations. The Libertas Americana is far more than a medal. It is a symbol of liberty, diplomacy and unity in the face of conflict. To discover such an example, untouched for generations and preserved in a private home, is a truly special moment for any auction house.”