Clarice Cliff Feature Articles

When I wrote my first feature on Secrets you may recall I mentioned the museum at Brighton and the great 1972 exhibition. Since then I have had a hankering to take a trip down to Brighton to satisfy my curiosity and interest but never found time for one reason or another.  Well, a recent weekend trip to Eastbourne to celebrate Mum and Dad's Golden Wedding anniversary was an opportunity not to be missed so a day trip to Brighton was gently suggested with a view to take in a bit of culture as well as the usual shopping exercises!

At the moment, entrance to the Museum is free but plans to charge are afoot. It's a fabulous place to visit with many interesting exhibits but I was on the look-out for some very special pieces. The exhibition rooms could be recognised from the old photos but the elusive pieces were not at first evident.  

After viewing most of the museum I came across a somewhat, in itself, fabulous display cabinet, tucked away to the back, with lots of interesting ceramics but there were just a few rows that leapt out from the rest. There is something about Clarice Cliff you never tire of, especially when you see something for the first time “in the pot“.  Your eyes widen, the heart beats a little faster..."Wow look! Clarice Cliff bits" I shouted to my partner, Kim.  With (almost) equal enthusiasm she hurried over.  

We stood in awe at two very large and fabulous Frank Brangwyn plaques. I have never seen one of these before let alone two together so that was a treat in itself. There was also a lovely Dame Laura Knight plate with a not seen by me Circus design along with a Windbells Biarritz plate and some unusual CC modelled figurines. Lastly but not least was the infamous Secrets Biarritz plate donated by Clarice herself. This was what I really wanted to see “in the pot” as photographs didn't do it justice.  It was fabulous to see something Clarice herself once enjoyed and admired during her later years after she had stopped working.  Beautifully painted with two renditions of the pattern....one on the shoulders of the plate and one inside the well.  A superb rare Honolulu Bonjour vase was spied in another cabinet nearby but that was all the Clarice to see.

It's a shame there wasn't more Clarice on show as Susie Cooper had a slightly bigger display but it was still good to see good quality pieces in that environment.  All in all a superb day out in Brighton topped by seeing, for me, the Holy Grail of Secrets!  Worth a visit if you are in the vicinity……………..