File:Medieval vessel repair patch (reverse view). (FindID 118787).jpg

English: The object is a probable sheet patch, which, according to Egan (Egan, G. 1998 The Medieval Household: Medieval Finds from Excavations in London: 6. The Medieval Household Daily Living c.1150-c.1450. Museum of London., p.176, fig.144; no.s, 489 and 494), were used to repair large areas of damage in sheet vessels, for example cauldrons. The sheet is made of cast copper alloy and is incomplete.

In plan the sheet is trapezoid shaped while in profile it is slightly curved.  The sheet is 114.3mm wide, 63.6mm long and weighs 27.69g.  A ridge located near to the centre of the patch indicates that it has been bent, possibly around an object or in on itself, in the past.  The patch is severely damaged around its perimeter, especially around the corners where some of it is now missing.  The remains of nine rivets holes located adjacent to, and parallel with, the edge of the patch are visible.  Three of the rivets are still present.  In plan they appear to be sub-rectangular or roughly square shaped.  They are made from small sub-oval/rectangular pieces of sheet copper alloy, which are threaded through the rivet holes and then secured by folding the ends outwards (see fig. 144).

The object is matt brown in colour and is in a poor condition. Examples of sheet patches and rivets have been found in phases in London, dating from the early 12th to the 14th centuries. It is possible however that the use of these types of patches continued after this period.