Copies of well-known paintings in regular oval format were often made for use as trays. A metal oval tray painted with the same subject and composition as the present painting, and the same size, was offered for sale at Christie's, South Kensington, 18 May 2010, lot 3 ("A George III decorated tôle tray, early 19th century, the oval ground depicting 'Watson and the shark' after John Singleton Copley, 30 in (76.2 cm. wide)". A regular oval copy on metal of almost the same size, after a painting by Mather Brown, was offered for sale at Christie's South Kensington on 15 October 2009, lot 65 (painting of The departure of the sons of Tippoo Sultan from the Zenana, oil on metal 56.5 x 71.7 cm., framed)
