Clarice Cliff: Bold Art Deco British Ceramics
Clarice Cliff (1899-1972) was one of the most influential ceramic designers of the 20th century, producing strikingly colorful Art Deco pottery at the A.J. Wilkinson Ltd. factory in Burslem, Staffordshire, England. Her "Bizarre" and "Fantastique" ranges, introduced in 1927-1928, revolutionized British tableware with bold geometric patterns and vivid hand-painted colors. Today, Clarice Cliff pottery is among the most collected and valuable categories of 20th-century ceramics, with rare pieces regularly achieving five-figure sums at auction.
Key Patterns and Ranges
- Bizarre (1928): The original range featuring abstract geometric designs
- Fantastique (1929): More organic, landscape-inspired patterns
- Crocus (1928-1963): The most commercially successful pattern; hand-painted flowers in purple, orange, and blue
- Sunray: Bold radiating geometric design in yellows and oranges
- May Avenue: Cottage landscape; one of the rarest and most valuable patterns
- Blue Chintz: All-over floral design, scarcer than Crocus
- Inspiration: Experimental range using turquoise and lavender runny glazes
- Age of Jazz: Figural table centerpieces of dancing couples; among the most valuable forms
Identification and Marks
- Early pieces (1927-1929) marked "BIZARRE by Clarice Cliff" in hand-painted script
- Standard backstamp: printed "BIZARRE" or "FANTASTIQUE" with "Hand Painted" and "Clarice Cliff" in a flowing script, plus "Newport Pottery" or "Wilkinson Ltd."
- Pattern names appear on some backstamps from the early 1930s onward
- Shape numbers correspond to the factory's shape catalog (e.g., shape 358 = Conical sugar sifter)
- Decorator's marks (small painted initials) sometimes appear; known decorators like Ethel Barrow and Lily Slater add modest interest
Auction Price Ranges
| Item | Pattern | Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| Age of Jazz figure | Dancing couple | $15,000 - $50,000+ |
| May Avenue vase | 12 inches | $10,000 - $40,000 |
| Conical sugar sifter | Sunray | $2,000 - $6,000 |
| Stamford teapot | Crocus | $800 - $3,000 |
| Bon jour tea set | Bizarre geometric | $3,000 - $12,000 |
| Lotus jug | Blue Chintz | $2,000 - $8,000 |
| Plate, 9-inch | Crocus | $150 - $500 |
| Conical bowl | Inspiration range | $1,500 - $5,000 |
Condition Factors
- Paint wear is the primary issue; hand-painted decoration wears with use, and any significant paint loss reduces value 40-60%
- Crazing: Fine crackle in the glaze is common and generally accepted; heavy stained crazing is more problematic
- Chips and repairs: Professional restoration can be nearly invisible; always examine under UV light, which reveals most repairs
- Fading: Some colors (particularly reds and oranges) fade with sun exposure; compare to protected areas under handles
- Black light: Authentic Clarice Cliff glaze fluoresces a characteristic warm tone; repairs show as dark or differently colored patches
Collecting Tips
- Shape drives value as much as pattern -- the Conical range (angular Art Deco forms) commands higher prices than traditional shapes in the same pattern
- Crocus pattern is the most affordable entry point but is so common that only unusual forms bring strong prices
- Beware reproductions: Wedgwood (which acquired the brand) produced authorized reproductions in the 1990s-2000s; these are clearly marked but sometimes misrepresented
- Fakes exist -- particularly of rare patterns like May Avenue; study the brushwork style, which is difficult to replicate convincingly
- Buy from specialized dealers or auction houses with ceramics expertise; generalist sellers frequently misidentify patterns or miss damage
- Reference essential: Greg Slater and Jonathan Brough's "Comprehensively Clarice Cliff" is the definitive catalog of shapes and patterns