{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1469350"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1469350/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019LM3525/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019LM3525/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2019LM3525","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019LM3526","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1469350","accessionNumber":"WE.7267-2014","objectType":"Mould","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The mould is designed to produce intaglios, essentially a mould with the mirror image of the design carved in sunken/counter relief, which are primarily used as wax seal stamps. Wedgwood produced a wide selection of biscuit ware intaglio moulds which in turn produced large numbers of intaglios, most commonly in black basalt.\n\nWedgwood's design of the intaglio was based on a description in the London Chronicle of a Union flag, adopted by the American Continental Army on January 1st 1776. This motif, originally conceived by Benjamin Franklin, was often used in anti-British colonial propaganda. Depicting a coiled rattlesnake above which the legend 'DON’T TREAD ON ME’ the ‘rattlesnake' intaglio first appears in Wedgwood’s intaglio catalogue of 1787 despite production having begun 10 years prior, in around 1777.\n\nIn a letter written by Josiah Wedgwood, on August 8th 1777, to Thomas Bentley he states ‘The Rattle Snake is in hand. I think it will be best to keep such unchristian articles for Private Trade.’ It is this discrepancy in the time between the production and advertisement of the ‘rattlesnake’ intaglio coupled with Josiah’s own wish to make the ‘unchristian’ article available only to the ‘Private trade’ that make this object unusual and fascinating. The concept of Wedgwood, ‘potter to her majesty’, creating wares depicting the slogan of the American colonies that were, by 1776, in open rebellion against Great Britain is at first glance an unusual one. Indeed, the controversy such action might risk was realised by Wedgwood, who made sure to keep the production and distribution of such items as low key as possible. In a similar vein, Wedgwood, renowned for his production of portrait medallion depicting those he called ‘Illustrious Moderns’, in 1777 considered it ‘highly improper for me & at this season to strike Medals to his [George Washington] honor [sic]’. Representing a 25x23mm drop in Josiah Wedgwood’s 18th century ocean of production, the ‘rattlesnake’ intaglio exemplifies some of the qualities that made Josiah Wedgwood the man he was. It represents a man with dynamic political, humanitarian and libertarian interests. A man not afraid to stay true to his own beliefs whilst at the same time savvy enough to avoid risking his great business and character. A combination of personal traits which themselves are most unusual. The intaglios formed from this mould were listed as number 388 in the list of Modern Subjects available in Wedgwood and Bentley's 1787 Catalogue.","physicalDescription":"","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Josiah Wedgwood and Sons","id":"A1450"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[{"text":"V&A Wedgwood Collection","id":"THES276060"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"WED","id":"THES270009"},"images":["2019LM3525","2019LM3526"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"042","id":"THES381745"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"portrait medallions","id":"THES276079"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"V&A Wedgwood Collection. Presented by Art Fund with major support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, private donations and a public appeal.","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"45","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"40","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"15","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"A RATTLESNAKE \n388                    \n[in black ink on the obverse]\nSee E.13680-14 \n918                       \n388 \n[in black ink  on the reverse]","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Oval Intaglio Mould of a rattlesnake with the legend \"Don't tread on me\".","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["WE.7267-2014"],"accessionNumberNum":"7267","accessionNumberPrefix":"WE","accessionYear":2014,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Wedgwood Museum Accession Number","id":"THES269972"},"number":"918"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-11-03","recordCreationDate":"2019-01-10","availableToBook":false}}