Bizarre Brilliance: The Bold and Colorful World of Clarice Cliff
Circle Cliff (English, 1899–1972)
Age of Jazz, Dancing Couple
Estimate: $3,000–5,000
Few designers capture the spirit of the 1920s quite like Clarice Cliff. Bold, unconventional, and unapologetically joyful, her work redefined ceramic design—bringing color, abstraction, and artistic authorship into the home.
Cliff emerged as one of the defining voices of the Art Deco movement, creating pottery that stood in stark contrast to traditional English wares. Her early Bizarre line—both a brand and a philosophy—celebrated experimentation, asymmetry, and expressive freedom. At a time when many designers remained anonymous, Cliff signed her work, asserting creative ownership and elevating ceramics into the realm of fine art.
Lot 141 | Tennis Jug | Estimate: $2,000–4,000
Her production model was as innovative as her designs. Cliff trained and oversaw a team of young decorators—some as young as 14—who hand-painted her bold patterns across ceramic forms. This approach allowed for scale while preserving a sense of individuality, resulting in pieces that feel both dynamic and deeply personal. Her forms were designed with intention, with broad surfaces serving as canvases for geometric and architectural compositions.
Travel and exposure to European modernism shaped Cliff’s visual vocabulary. Influences from Cubism and abstraction merged with a distinctly British sensibility. Patterns such as Sunray exemplify this synthesis, with radiating color fields, stylized landscapes, and strong graphic symmetry that evoke the optimism and energy of the interwar years.
Lot 127 | Sunray Pattern Platter | Estimate: $400–600
Among her most iconic works are the Jazz Age figures—stylized ceramic sculptures that capture movement, performance, and modern femininity. Equally notable are her sculptural vessels, including the Lotus Jug, and her vividly patterned wares inspired by leisure and contemporary life. These objects blur the boundary between function and art, embodying a new vision for domestic design.
Nearly a century later, Cliff’s work remains strikingly contemporary. Her fearless use of color and form anticipated modern design movements, and her pieces continue to resonate with collectors for their vibrancy and originality.
As Cliff herself declared, “Women today want continual change—they will have color and plenty of it.”
Explore works by Clarice Cliff in our upcoming Design sale.