Clarice Cliff Feature Articles

If you are fortunate to have a complete “As You Like It” set among your Clarice Cliff collection, I doubt that when you purchased it at a fair or auction, you were also lucky enough to obtain the advertising leaflet that went with it.

Originally it was known as an “Ever Changing Table Decoration” and not the more familiar and readily identifiable name we call it these days.  The photograph below is an original from 1933 with the pieces arranged with anemones and candles, so we must assume the actual shapes were conceived at around this time.

The set consisted of eight pieces in three different shapes - two semi-circular troughs (shape number 659), two oblong troughs (shape number 657) and four cube shaped candlesticks (shape number 658).

They were all the same width and height which made it possible to make several arrangements or shapes out of them, and so constantly giving the table decoration ’a new look’.  The troughs were able to hold water for either flowers or leaves, or if you wanted a simpler arrangement not all the shapes had to be used. I consider this set of pottery pieces to be one of Clarice’s most unusual and successful ideas for the home.

Examples of patterns made in this “ever changing table decoration” are known in Blue Firs, Coral Firs, Rhodanthe, Aurea, Lydiat, Nasturtium, and in plain glazed versions which fit in with the dateline.  But how exciting it would have been to see some of Clarice’s earlier more flamboyant Art Deco patterns on a complete set.  How “trendy” they would have been!  Or are there any out there……only you can tell……….

On the left hand side of this advertising leaflet pictured below, you can see nine different suggested shapes for this “As You Like It” set…….and in more recent times online one enterprising Ebayer displayed his set in the shape of a heart. Two heart-shaped sets were also on display at one of the Simply Clarice exhibitions at Wedgwood Museum.  I’m a little surprised Clarice did not think of that……….

I hope that some of Clarice’s suggestions will give you food for thought enabling you too, to have an “ever changing” display in your collection.

Doreen Mann