Two Caughley asparagus servers transfer-printed with the Fisherman or Pleasure Boat patterns, circa 1780-90, Sx mark to one with further mark S to the main body of the print, widest points 7cm across Provenance: Wright Collection no. 714 with the sideways print was purchased in 2004 from M. Edgell and no.238 with the S mark to the front in 1981 from Charnwood. This rare feature of the S mark on the front of the server was caused by a fold in the tissue when creating the transfer. Articles about pieces marked to the front have appeared in Caughley Newsletters such as May 2014 No.58 and June 2007 No. 30, p.17. Asparagus was first introduced by the Romans and this young shoot from a cultivated plant of the lily family (and a distant cousin of the onion!) came back to our shores in the reign of Henry VIII. Such was its popularity that by the 18th century we grew more asparagus than any other country, according to the compendium 'England in Particular'.