Soap Dish, 5.125 x 4 x 3.5 inches. Red transfer. The printed garter mark has the name of the pattern, "Florida" and the initials "T. F. & S." of Thomas Furnival & Sons the maker. According to the diamond registry mark, the pattern was registered 29 March 1871. This geometric pattern consists almost entirely of a variety of stylized flowers. The narrow horizontal band on the body of the soap dish is comprised of stylized flowers, below which are alternating stylized flowers and leaves. The same narrow horizontal band appears around the lid base and above are alternating lozenges in-filled with a stylized flower and leaves and large eight-petalled stylized flowers. The knob on the lid features interlocking rings.

Following involvement in previous partnerships, from 1851 Jacob and Thomas Furnival became partners at J & T Furnival. As well as earthenware manufacturers, they were in business as Grinders of Potters’ Materials at Etruria Vale, in the borough of Hanley. In 1859 Jacob Furnival, Thomas Furnival, and Francis Joseph Emery applied for a patent for “Improvements in apparatus for supporting articles of china and earthenware in kilns and ovens.” In May 1864 the partnership between Jacob and Thomas Furnival was dissolved and the business was continued by Thomas Furnival. Around 1871, Thomas Furnival the younger joined the business which became Thomas Furnival and Son. In 1876, another son, Samuel Bourne Furnival joined the business, which became Thomas Furnival and Sons. Around 1883 the company found itself in financial difficulty with liabilities of £60,000 (around £5 million in 2020 terms). In 1884 there was a notice of “Liquidation by Agreement” which allowed the company to trade out of its difficulties. Thomas Furnival Sr. retired in 1890 and the business was continued by his sons Thomas, Samuel, and Arthur. The style of the business became Furnivals.