A set of eight charming French glazed Majolica asparagus plates, wonderfully decorated in vibrant pastel colours, with haut-relief modelled and glazed asparagus stalks against a woven wicker pattern and a basketweave border. Dating from around 1890, these distinctive plates became a popular way to serve the much prized delicacy of asparagus, with their presentation taken very seriously. Majolica is a richly coloured, heavyweight clay pottery that is coated with enamel, ornamented with paints, and, finally, glazed.