exceptional polychrome lithographed galvanized steel stove board identified as louis h. sullivan's final commission prior to his untimely death in 1924. sullivan may have secured the two hundred dollar commission through his former draftsman, frank lloyd wright, who designed a prairie style house for ward willits, director of the chicago-based american stove board company. only three documented designs were thought to exist according to a 1920’s american stove board company's product catalog. this example demonstrates the possibility of other, yet to be discovered designs, fabricated by american or perhaps another stove board manufacturer. in addition, this is one of only two known examples to have a multi-colored finish. the stove board or platform is comprised of a wood core, in the form of interlocking boards with a finely detailed lithographed sheet tin cover crimped along the edges. the sullivan-designed stove boards feature visually striking patterns with distinctive interplay between geometric shapes and richly organic design motifs. stove boards were used as a preventive measure against house fires by acting as a protective barrier between dropping embers emitted from potbelly stoves and the wood flooring found below.