Here we have an extremely rare signed Davenport, 3 piece, round game dish with its liner.  The lid and base are made to resemble a highly decorated pie crust.  The lid is decorated with applied and raised acanthus leaves around an opening fruit handle.  The base is decorated with a rope twist trellis and bands.  Measuring only 5 ¾” in diameter across the rim, 3 ½” in height to the rim and 4 ¾” to the top of the finial handle on the lid, this is very small for a game dish.  This is in near mint condition with loss to only the edge of one of the acanthus leaves on the lid and no other damage or repairs.  This game dish is so highly decorated the loss on the leaf edge isn’t obvious and doesn’t detract.  The underside of the base is impressed with the DAVENPORT anchor mark, this is date mark for 1860.  Curiously, the number “13” above the anchor is a “Tally” number for the factory worker who molded the game dish prior to firing in the kiln.  Many workers got paid when the wares they made were finished and ready for selling, hence they had their own identification number.  John Davenport opened his pottery in Longport, Staffordshire in 1794.  He, among other potters, was in competition with Wedgwood and created unique and beautiful pottery as a result.  This is extremely rare in this condition with a liner.  His pottery is not often found and is highly desired and collectable.