Clarice Cliff Feature Articles
Well, what a sale, and a complete triumph for Fieldings Auctioneers and Will Farmer who has been been carefully negotiating this sale and the transport of it to our shores during the past six months! The saleroom was absolutely buzzing. Everyone was enthusiastically anticipating the sale then becoming intensely silent and ready for the off! There were so many happy, smiling faces, the room full of collectors and dealers chatting about Clarice Cliff pots and it was so reminiscent of the “old days” at Christies South Kensington auctions some 20 years or so ago. Why, there were even some “returning” members introducing themselves to this writer and chatting enthusiastically about Clarice Cliff - great to see you there!
Here are some of the statistics for this sale. On the day some 90% of all items were sold but with after-sales over the last few days this has risen to 94%. Such success!
If we take a look at the now familiar sections of Clarice Cliff’s designs, the breakdown will make for interesting reading……….
Landscapes were 93% sold.
Geometrics - always so rigorously sought-after, were 97% sold.
Fruit and Floral were 89% sold, and the
Fun section 100% sold due to the Butterfly effect!
On the day, approximately 19 items were unsold but some of these have since been purchased, and at the time of writing only twelve remain.
The most expensive item in the saleroom was lot number 324 the unique Windflowers Charger which I had previously seen more than 20 years ago. It is featured in The Rich Designs of Clarice Cliff book on page 211. Somewhat contemporary to Clarice, Charlotte Rhead in style, it had vibrant brown stippling all over with blue trumpet flowers and lime green leaves with yellow flowers all around the edge of the charger - such a statement piece! There was determined bidding in the room versus commission bids and as the thousands of pounds got higher, the room fell eerily silent with the audience bursting into a spontaneous round of applause at the end result! It’s been a long while since I have seen that happen at a Clarice Cliff auction in a British saleroom, and commiserations to the valiant under-bidders who put up a strong determined fight. I do not think many collectors foresaw that outcome as I had surprised some prior to the sale, saying that I thought it would reach the £10,000 mark - they were quite amazed!
Another strijking Clarice Cliff item was the 36cm/14-inch high Football Mei-Ping, a most desirable shape and pattern combo much loved by collectors everywhere…..and when did you last see one this size? This reached just over bottom estimate at £4,100 - considered “an absolute steal” by both auctioneer and writer. What a magnificent piece to be taking home!
The Top 10 highest priced lots were as follows:-
1. Lot 324 Windflowers Plaque £11,500
2. Lot 226 Football Mei-Ping Vase £ 4,100
3. Lot 291 Apples Lotus Jug £ 3,500
4. Lot 338 Butterfly 369A Stepped Vase £ 3,500
5. Lot 197 Latona Tree Plaque £ 2,600
6. Lot 229 Arabesque Globe Vase £ 1,850
7. Lot 184 Summerhouse Candlesticks (Pair) £ 1,800
8. Lot 305 Inspiration Geometric Flowers Vase £ 1,800
9. Lot 187 Red trees & House Tea for 2 £ 1,750
10 Lot 223 Archaic 373 Shape Vase £ 1,700
All of the above were outstandingly hand-painted by the Bizarre girls and boys, and it was obvious for anyone to see that Vaases, Chargers, candlesticks and an Early Morning Tea set were the collectors’ favourites. In fact, forgive me for thinking this sale was a “vase-fest!”
Currently, vases are the most desired object in Clarice Cliff’s vast repertoire of items and shapes. But what a selection….what a broad mass of pattern names and shapes - it would have been almost too much for you to take in if you were viewing and bidding on the sale day itself!
As expected, there were many commission bids from British and overseas would-be buyers but to be honest, you would have had to quote a very flexible commission bid to achieve a happy result! And, for the first time, there was internet bidding which kept everyone on their toes! Prior to the sale, most collectors had expressed their concern about this pushing up prices, but after much consideration I do not feel this was the case overall. Internet bidding certainly filled the gaps and made the bidding more intense, but didn’t create ‘totally silly’ prices.
Fieldings Auctioneers had previously said they would not undertake internet bidding, but have found that modern day technology is a must to satisfy world-wide customers and they felt they could not be left behind. Surely, unless you have that very open/flexible commission bid, you will be beaten time and time again by room or internet bidders? Collectors in Britain, Australia and America have already commented on their pleasure of hearing the sale on-line.
And what of this overseas interest? Where does it come from? It seems that after Britain Clarice Cliff has a strong, fervent following in Australia with several from America and South Africa, who all used commission/telephone or internet bidding on the day.
My general observation of the room told me that there was a lot of bidding for lot 135 the Rudyard 602 flared vase at £1,000, the House and Bridge 360 vase at £1,300, lot 161 the Gibraltar 269 vase at £750, lot 165 the Patina Coastal 461 finned vase at £900, lot 172 the spectacular but heavily restored Green Erin Conical bowl way over estimate at £520 and brisk internet bidding on lot 173 the lovely Applique Idyll 475 Daffodil bowl at £650. Lots 175 and 176 - the two Windbells vases also performed well above estimate.
Of course it was no surprise that the only piece of May Avenue in the room sold for way over estimate at £1,200. Internet bidding helped the Bridgewater Lotus (lot 182) to reach top estimate of £1,500 with the beautiful pair of Summerhouse candlesticks exceeding estimate to a high of £1,800. Minor restoration did not put off bidders for the delightful Red Trees and House Stamford Early Morning set which reached £1,750. I must admit to thinking the estimate for the Stroud Stamford trio was a bit “punchy” but in fairness such is the delight of those Stamford shaped teapots, the trio reached £700(mid estimate) and it was in a rare colour way.
Auctioneer Will Farmer set and maintained a relentless pace frequently punctuated by humorous asides which were warmly welcomed by the audience. It was more than obvious that collectors and dealers alike had given much thought to their selections and only a few minor items had a small amount of bids or indeed, a maiden bid.
The Globe vases and Chargers were “events” in themselves and there was much competitive bidding. The Chargers were quite spectacular, not due to their rarity of pattern, but their condition was shiny and new-looking and their size shown off to stunning effect. These are the Charger results in highest priced order:
1. Windflowers £11,500
2. Latona Tree £2,600
3. Forst Glen £1,550
4 Inspiration Rose £1,100 (after sale)
5. Capri ’Sample’ £850
6. Alton £820
7. Sandon £820
8. Acorn £580
Amongst the Globes, the previously unseen Arabesque was the most discussed and sought-after resulting in a successful £1,850 bid; the Moonlight Globe realised £1,300 in the room and the least expensive was the Patina Tree where bidding began at £550 and steadily reached £800 sold. All the Lotus jugs did well; Apples, unsurprisingly being the favourite at a top bid of £3,500. Its condition was clean and stunning; the paintwork superb. Who wouldn’t want to own that?
Whilst some purists might bemoan the fact that it was not a “Sevi” sale “full of top 10 patterns and shape combos” and without any Applique apart from Idyll, this was a rare much broader collection of items (bearing in mind that the vendor’s entire collection has not been put to auction) which illustrated a far wider understanding of the appeal of Clarice Cliff’s art and craft. There were patterns galore, some unique, and the widest choice of shapes in any sale one cares to mention. Most importantly, they were gathered over a long period of time roughly ending around 2003/2005 which created such a “fresh to the market” buzz amongst us all.
Examples were the two 369A stepped vases in the rarely seen Butterfly and Latona Stained Glass patterns, the 30cm statuesque Archaic vase in Sunburst, the Castellated Circle Double Conical Bowl, the Butterfly patterned miniature 177 vase, the outstanding detailed painting of that Archaic bowl, the Beach Ball and Mango Mei-Pings, the Whisper 342 variant, the unique Inspiration Geometric Flowers mallet vase, the unique Latona Orchid vase and lot 276 ultra rarely seen shape 511 flower tube vase sometimes sold as lamp base. A triple Bon Jour vase and two “S” shaped (or double “D” shaped) flower tube vases - and many more. It’s obvious to see why items in this sale were a delight to so many, and prices were accordingly strong.
That said, the question of budgets must surely arise…and you often hear Will and I say that there is/was something for everyone. This was also true of this extraordinary sale, one which will live on in our memories for a long time. Can you believe that there were 21 lots which sold for under £100 - I.e. lots 139, 145, 154, 196, 205, 208, 231, 245, 250, 254, 256, 259, 260, 261, 265, 266, 277, 281, 301, 319, and 334 - you can check out these items yourselves but lot 281 sold for a mere £10!!!
Hardly the place for any bargain buys ? Don’t you believe it! The Alton Charger springs to mind at only £820, along with the Red Trees and House 265 vase, the beautifully positioned Secrets 515 finned bowl at only £440 (in the 90’s these often sold for between £1,100 - £1,300), lot 160 the Green Autumn 268/9 series vase at £550, lot 163 the seven colour Secrets 358 vase at £700 (what a steal), the flared Cornwall 615 at £400, lot 169 at £180, the Green Erin early morning set at £550, lot 183 the Limberlost Lotus at £680 - great buy, the Sunburst 358 at £1.600, the Comets vase at £1,000 and the Orange V Lotus at £1,100. Of course, you can add your likes to any of the above. Don’t forget, all prices mentioned in this report are hammer and subject to a combined commission and VAT charge of 21 per cent.
In truth, the ‘most interesting sale of the decade’ is how I see it because of its patterns and shapes - with obvious ommissions such as Applique and Conical sugar sifters - but a sale which will live long in our memories for all those varieties of Clarice Cliff pottery.
Congratulations to Will Farmer, Nicholas Davies and the entire Fieldings Auctioneers team for a day to remember; and our very special thanks to a New York lady and gentleman who gave us the opportunity to share in their pleasure of Clarice Cliff pottery.
Doreen Mann
