Antique French Lunéville Barbotine Majolica Turquoise Asparagus Platter

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A superb late 19th century French barbotine majolica asparagus server from Keller & Guérin, the celebrated faïencerie at Lunéville in … Read more A superb late 19th century French barbotine majolica asparagus server from Keller & Guérin, the celebrated faïencerie at Lunéville in Lorraine, producing since 1730.

The oval platter is modeled in high relief as a fluted turquoise leaf, scattered with naturalistically rendered white and violet-tipped asparagus spears and centered by a trompe l'oeil folded napkin in warm ochre. Aubergine ribbon cartouches anchor each end. The glazes are deep and pooling — that saturated Lunéville turquoise that photographs beautifully and reads as a color moment in a room.

Asparagus was a luxury of the French table in the Belle Époque, and specialized service pieces like this were made for it. The master server is the anchor piece of an asparagus service and is considerably scarcer than the individual plates.

Impressed LUNEVILLE to the reverse.

Equally at home as a serving piece, on a plate rail, or hung as wall art in a kitchen or dining room. See less