Revolutionary Teapots — "Join or Die" or "No Stamp Act" — Traditional redware made by hand in New England

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Updated at 6 pm on November 23, 2025: Both teapots have been sold. . . . Made by hand in America using traditional methods and materials. The teapots: "Join or Die" — Taken from th e original illustration in Franklin’s The Pennsylvania Gazette, May 9, 1754. Originally, a warning to the colonies, urging them to unite against the French and Native American allies, it was later used as an appeal to the states during the Revolutionary War. The rattlesnake segments are labeled, S.C., N.C., V., M., P., N.J., N.Y., and N.E. "No Stamp Act" — The Stamp Act of 1765 was one of the first direct taxes imposed on the American colonies by the British government, with the tax levied directly on a consumable. Cries of "taxation without representation" went out and many resorted to mob violence in protest. By late summer in 1765, the first Stamp Act riots occurred in Boston, followed quickly by a riot in Newport spurred on by Newport members of the Sons of Liberty. Redware was the most commonly used pottery prior to the 19th century. The name comes from its high iron content and coloration. The teapot is lead free and food-safe and can be put in the microwave. Size: 5" high x 9" wide Care: Handwashing recommended. Note: We only have one available and I don't know when we'll be able to get more. Because each is handmade, there will be slight differences and imperfections. And note that the bottom is not glazed, so it may be a little rough. If it is, you can smooth it with fine grit sandpaper or an emery board with a fine grain, attach a small piece of felt, get one of our new coasters, or simply be careful not to slide it across a finished surface. Historical background This political cartoon (attributed to James Turner (silversmith) for Benjamin Franklin) originally appeared during the French and Indian War, but was recycled to encourage the American colonies to join the Albany Plan for Union. From The Pennsylvania gazette, May 9, 1754. Abbreviations used: Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and New England. The practice of grouping the colonies east of New York (New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut) together as "New England" has a history that goes back to the Dominion of New England, established in 1686 . . . Delaware was not listed separately because it was comprised of three counties that were part of Pennsylvania, and did not gain independence from Philadelphia until after the Declaration of Independence was asserted. Prior to formal separation from Pennsylvania, Delaware was properly referred to as the "Lower Counties on Delaware". The Province of Georgia was not originally included by Franklin (let alone other British colonies in North America) but was later added and can be see at the tip of the tail. Georgia, the youngest of what would come to be referred to as the "Thirteen Original Colonies", had only been chartered in 1732 as a haven for those incarcerated in England's debtors prisons, and its population was sparse. Source: Wikipedia Show more