this remarkable c. 1920's american lithographed galvanized tin stoveboard was documented as louis sullivan's final commission prior to his untimely death in 1924. 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. three designs were selected for use with the american stove board company's existing product catalog. the stove board or platform is comprised of a wood core, in the form of interlocking boards with a highly detailed lithographed sheet tin cover crimped along the edges. the visually striking design consists of a distinctive interplay between geometric shapes and richly organic design motifs executed in black against a silver metallic background. the stove boards were fabricated exclusively by the american stove board company of chicago, il. the backside is signed by the manufacturer.