Clarice Cliff Feature Articles

At the last Fieldings auction in October, a little "hidden" gem was sitting modestly on the table amongst many others hiding it's light under a bushel. A welcome new member of our club, David Brookes spotted it, fell in love with it and is now its proud possessor. This pot has important historical connections which make it stand apart from other similar pieces. 

Colley Shorter together with his brother Guy, were owners of Wilkinson’s Pottery, and wishing to extend their business, they purchased the neighbouring Newport Pottery. Newport contained large stocks of unpainted blank ware and also items such as lustre glazes and Japanese style prints for which there was a shrinking market. One of Colley's priorities, therefore, was to improve the quality and marketing of this ware.  In 1921, he had hired 17 year old Ewart Oakes to become the premier salesman for the two factories and he was to use Ewart's skills to market new ware emanating from Newport. Colley, having long been aware of Clarice's talents and potential, in 1925 gave her her very own studio at the Newport works in which to experiment and hone her skills.  And of course, Clarice decided to use the blank stock housed there, to try out her new designs.  

Ewart became a good friend  of Clarice over the years and remained employed with the factory until it was sold in 1963.  

In 1927, on a momentous watershed day, Clarice and Colley invited Ewart into Clarice’s studio office saying they had something to show him. A curtain which hid part of the room was pulled back and Ewart had to step back in amazement at what he saw before him. Ranged on shelves were displays of ware covered in brashly multi-coloured triangles!  He had never seen the like before. As we know, it was indeed very different to what was being produced at that time! Once he had recovered from the shock, Colley asked him to inspect a piece. On looking at the pieces more closely, Ewart suddenly realised that these were, in fact, old blank stock.  He had barely recognised it!  He then picked up a large jug and had a good look at it.  The enamel colours covered the entire surface and had been well fired.  Ewart knew how difficult it was to achieve this effect without flaking taking place.  Then he said, “It is extremely colourful.  It’s certainly a clever idea to use up the old stock in this way, but I am not sure it will sell”. Colley explained that they wanted him to start marketing it right away.  The last question Ewart asked was “Why is it called ‘Bizarre’” and Clarice explained because it was intended to surprise people.  

And so ‘Bizarre ware’ was born and became hugely successful. We all know just how successful, and it is interesting to note a letter that Colley wrote to Ewart in January 1931 which said,  “Many thanks for the further orders to hand.  You are starting in record shape and we have every confidence you will keep it up through the year.  You will be pleased to know that your first week’s orders amounted to £618 as against £404 for last year.  If you keep this up at an average increase of 50%, even the writer will be satisfied, and they say he never is!  Yours faithfully, C A Shorter." Quite an accolade!

Here is a further example of how highly Clarice valued Ewart's friendship.  After Annie, Colley's wife died in 1939, Clarice and Colley married in 1940 without anyone knowing except a few family members.  Ewart was one of the first to know when Clarice wrote to him nearly one year later in December 1941 saying "I have been trying to sneak ten minutes to write to you for the last several days, and this is my first chance.  I have a bit of news for you which may not come as much of a surprise.  Colley and I are married.  This at the moment is not generally known but I know you can be discreet."  A note in the margin of the letter said,  "If you write, don't forget it is "Shorter"  not  "Cliff" or we might get turned out, what a joke!".  

I have detailed much about Ewart because David's pot was amongst his possessions, so he obviously prized it.  

Ewart lived and died in Stoke on Trent and after his death, an antique dealer who was also a friend of Terry Abbotts, was asked to go through the house contents and amongst other items, he found this self same pot.  

A little background information about the Spring Crocus design…….  During the war, the factory was taken over to help with the war effort.  When the war ended,  Colley and Clarice wanted to resurrect the works and asked some of the girls to return,  amongst these being Ethel Barrow  “THE Crocus Girl”.  One of Clarice's new designs was Spring Crocus and she approached Ethel asking her whether she would try it out. This pot was the result and was actually from old Newport stock as shown by the black Newport stamp on the back.  The Gold Bizarre stamp is the later one from the 1950s, added later when the new design was enamelled and fired; hence the reason why it has two back-stamps. The back-stamps tell us so much about the history of a piece. 

 Terry was given this pot by his friend and when Ethel came to his house in the 1990s, she immediately recognised it as one that she had first painted.  . 

Now, you could not wish for a better provenance than this.  It belonged to Ewart Oakes who worked for Clarice for well over forty years, it was found by Terry’s friend in Ewart's own home and Ethel recognised it as her own personal work!  Below is a photograph of Ethel showing her holding the pot.

What a wonderful history!  Well done David!

Peggy Wilson

Edited by Doreen Mann

Editor's Note:  In the Bizarre Salesman's Catalogue this shape was known as Honey, Butter 527 the same shape as the Odilon cover dish, produced between 1932 and 1935.