A rare Wedgwood American subject black basalt intaglio seal, late 18th century, the small oval form

A rare Wedgwood American subject black basalt intaglio seal, late 18th century, the small oval form bearing a profile portrait of Captain Nathan Hale beside the reversed inscription 'My Country!!!', the reverse impressed 'Wedgwood', 2.4cm.

Captain Nathan Hale was a Connecticut-born schoolteacher who worked as a spy against the British during the Revolutionary War. He was captured by the British in 1776 and hanged on 22nd September 1776 at the age of 21. His final words were reputed to be, "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." Hale has long been considered an American hero and was designated the state hero of Connecticut in 1985. Josiah Wedgwood was a known American sympathiser, likely due in no small part to trade links. Nevertheless, Hale was a controversial figure in Britain and this seal may have been a single commission or limited production for a few trusted like-minded thinkers.