Featured A very timely find.

In light of the current happenings in our country right now I though this was a very timely find. I picked this up at Columbus Market (Columbus, N. J.) this morning at their weekly flea.

This Staffordshire type blue transfer plate is known as the Abolitionist plate. It was issued in 1837 in commemoration of the life of Elijah Lovejoy. Lovejoy was an abolitionist newspaper publisher in Alton, Illinois in the early 1800s. He was killed defending his press from anti abolitionist rioters in 1837. These plates were shipped from England in hopes that their sales could help fund the freeing of slaves. In addition to the central printing of the first amendment there are four cartouches around the edge seperated by four federal period eagles. That to the left reads "We hold that all men are created equal", the right reads "Of one blood are all nations of men", the bottom holds the scales of justice, and the cartouch center top declares “Lovejoy, the first Martyr to American Liberty, at Alton, Nov. 7, 1837” with an image of a slave being set free.

This is a very rare and important plate.

 

The back is completely unmarked...which somehow doesn't surprise me.

 

Actually in all the photos she shows a slightly different plate from mine with the top cartouch not matching though her written description describes an example like mine. I like mine more.

It seems the variants are about equal in scarcity. I also found there is at least a Staff. type creamer also commemorating Lovejoy. That must be KILLER rare.