Clarice Cliff Feature Articles

To continue this occasional series, I thought it was long overdue for me to introduce Joel, a determined and enthusiastic collector from Florida, USA, who happened upon Clarice Cliff by chance one day………

D:  When and how did you discover Clarice Cliff?

J:   Having been raised in a family where weekends consisted of a round of visits to antiques shops, I've always collected something (coins, fossils, old books, etc). For twenty years, up till 2007, I'd been collecting Hall China teapots - colourful, decorative, inexpensive and easily found at local shops and fairs. 

In September 2007 my brother and his wife opened an antiques shop in the family home town of Dade City, Florida. From them I bought a pair of conical floral wall pockets, unmarked, but I believed by Weller. I thought to research them online - so for the very first time I went to eBay and ran a general pottery search. Yes the pockets were Weller, but I happened upon a photo of a piece which grabbed my attention. It was a Hereford biscuit barrel in Original Bizarre.  This reminded me of a piece of Japanese porcelain which I'd grown up seeing at my grandmother's house (by this time in my home) which we could never figure out. Very Art Deco, too small to be a cookie jar, and had once had some sort of handle. Here was the answer- a biscuit barrel (not something an American would recognize) modelled in the style of somebody called Clarice Cliff! 

A few computer clicks and I was flooded with items by Clarice. I loved what I saw - the patterns, the colours and the wonderful shapes. I registered as a new user on eBay and began to bid. Imagine, if you will, the double excitement of discovering Clarice Cliff and eBay at the same time. Imagine the peril!

D:  What were the first pieces you bought?

J:  The first piece I bought was a Leda plate in Woodland; I loved the bright colours and the overall design. That was followed shortly by a conical sifter in Leonora (called Riser at that time) and a 268 vase in Memory Lane, two mis-described patterns which have turned into mini-collections in their own right.  At first, like a lot of “newbies“ I aspired to examples of every pattern and bought things which now I wouldn't look at twice. The auction process was rather addictive! Luckily I never bought any fakes or reproductions, and only got stung with one awful piece of undeclared restoration.

D: As a US collector how practical has it been to develop your collection?

J: Over time I realized the "every pattern " approach is impossible. There are patterns I love which I'm content to never own. So now I focus on abstracts, but I have sub-collections of Gloria, Goldstone and Inspiration. As one almost never finds any Clarice in shops in the USA (I've only ever found one piece) knowledge is hard to come by. I've relied on books (Len's mostly), dealers websites and the CCCC for my on-going education in all things Clarice.  

In 2010 it was a wonderful experience for me to travel to a museum exhibition in Michigan called "Art of Bizarre".  It featured a truly wide ranging and “top notch” collection. Something like a larger version of Andrew's stand at Olympia but with nothing for sale and you can't see the back-stamps, alas! The only way I get to see a piece "in the pot" is to buy it and wait for delivery - the major drawback, I think, to collecting Clarice Cliff in the USA. This may explain the wide range or what may be construed as a lack of focus in my acquisitions.

As to condition, I'm no purist but I find I'm pickier and pickier as time goes by. A hairline or a cleanly repaired break won't disqualify a desirable piece for me. Over-painting, however, is a deal breaker and so common on the early easily oxidised blue on the abstracts I love. It's also very difficult to find a restorer over here who can do the job if needed. 

The most frustrating aspect of collecting for me is having to choose. It always seems that I'll spot several things on my ‘want list’ at the same time and, credit line notwithstanding, one can't buy it all. I suppose that makes me value the pieces I do buy more than otherwise.

D: You obviously got smitten very quickly with ‘the Clarice bug’ and I am intrigued as to your favourites, and how you acquired them? 

J:  As to my current favourites - hard to say. They seem to change every time I re-arrange the pots! I have a weakness for Conical bowls and my top shelf (literally) has one in Carpet and one in Oranges along with a beaker in Cafe and jam pots in Apples and Melons. My mystery pattern Globe vase is a prize for me and a rare purchase from within the USA. I have a mental list of what I'm looking for - shape, pattern, and range. Just lately I found a shape (Mei-Ping) in a pattern (Bobbins) in a range (Cafe au Lait) - three birds with one stone!  That was a ‘must have’ piece for me. 

A conical part-tea set in Latona Stained Glass is another recent purchase which I'm enjoying a great deal………my first Latona. To bring things full circle I was thrilled to find a Hereford biscuit barrel in Double V (a pattern which holds quite a fascination for me) quite similar to the pot that began it all.

Over time I’ve narrowed my (admittedly wide) focus and become much more picky about condition, as previously mentioned. As has been the case all these  years, I don’t find anything in shops or fairs (with a single exception) so the majority of my buys are online. Most of those are through Ebay but I tend to stick to sellers I’m familiar with both in the US and the UK. One advantage to buying in the US is that Paypal gives me a nice line of interest free credit, but it doesn’t apply to international transactions.  I also have a few dealers and fellow collectors who will contact me directly if they come across a piece they think may interest me and I’ve made a few purchases this way.  Mostly it’s a matter of sticking to sellers I have learned to trust. I’m looking forward to my initial foray into the “live” auction scene in the UK and that may become a major conduit for me in the future. Only time will tell.  At present, I have 96 pieces of Clarice, exclusive of pieces by Dolly Cliff (her sister), Mabel Leigh from Shorter & Son, John Butler (former Art Director at Wilkinson’s) and Wilkinson’s Memory Lane patterned pieces. 

In conclusion I'd like to say what a godsend ClariceCliff.com is for a collector, like me, out in the hinterlands. It's really the only place I have to discuss my passion for these pots.

D:  Joel tells me he is 56 years old now, and started collecting Clarice just before he was 49, so he can blame it all on his “mid-life crisis”!  Since studying English at college, he worked in several capacities in restaurants in the eastern part of the USA.  Shortly after returning to Florida he took a job at a large retirement community in Dunedin, thinking it was going to be temporary, but staying there for the past 27 years. I think he’ll be collecting Clarice for a lot longer than that!  

Joel Hunnicutt, an American Clarice Cliff collector in conversation with Doreen Mann.  Joel is and always has been a regular contributor to the Open Forum.  We thank him for participating in this feature and wish him continued success with his discovering and collecting Clarice Cliff.