Inviting Entries | Clarice Cliff & Art Deco

Coming from a private collector in Kent, the collection features iconic and sought-after patterns such as ‘Secrets’, ‘Branch & Squares’, ‘Blue Chintz’, ‘Yellow Japan’ amongst others.

Clarice Cliff's humble beginnings of hand painted floral motifs were severely influenced by her visit to the pivotal 1925 Exposition des Arts Decoratifs in Paris, and the subsequent aesthetic developments of the late 1920s. In a matter of years, her motifs quickly developed into the diverse and vivid abstract patterns she has since become synonymous with.

The fusion of the contemporary visual trends with the domestic ware manufactured by Newport & Co. became a commercial success, which would eventually see the Newport produce their wares to accommodate her designs, known as ‘Bizarre’, rather than vice versa.

To meet the commercial demand, a dedicated decoration studio was founded within the Newport factory which at its peak employed around 100 women known as ‘The Bizarre Girls’. This resulted in an immense artistic output and an influx of Art Deco, cubism, and abstraction into ordinary British homes, cementing her as one of the leading figures of the British Deco movement.

With Art Deco returning into the focus of fashion during the 1980s, the interest in Cliff’s ceramics was renewed and globalised, spawning a cult following worldwide, a following that continues to grow more robust to this day.

We are actively consigning Clarice Cliff ceramics, as well as British and Continental Art Deco for our July Design sale and future Design auctions, and are noticing a positive trend in hammer prices for items of the period in recent sales.

Specific names we are looking for include: Ferdinand Preiss, Josef Lorenzl, Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann, René Lalique, Demétre Chiparus, Bruno Zach, Jules Leleu, Axel Einar Hjorth, Simon Gate, Wilhelm Kåge, Anna Petrus, Nils Fougstedt, and more!

To discuss your items of Art Deco, please contact the department -

design@sworder.co.uk | 01279 817778