Overview
Over 2,000 patterns and pieces by ceramicist Clarice Cliff and her colleagues at the Wilkinson Pottery: the most complete guide ever published to Cliff's colorful, delightful, and highly collectible work.The dazzling ceramics of Clarice Cliff and the Wilkinson Pottery, which first encouraged her work in the 1920s, are among the most popular collectibles from the twentieth century. Ever since the exuberant colors and bold shapes of Cliff's classic Art Deco pieces first caught the imagination of collectors, auction prices have moved inexorably upwards, reaching over $50,000 for a single item. Now, after years of research, both in the Wilkinson archives and through the oral testimonies of surviving employees, Greg Slater has produced the first comprehensive survey of the work of Clarice Cliff and her largely uncredited colleagues at the Wilkinson Pottery from the 1920s to the 1950s.
This massive reference work identifies the origin, name, designer, date, and decoration method of all the significant pieces. Accessible through three indexes—pattern name, number, and backstamp—the book is organized by pattern (including groups assigned by the Wilkinson Pottery and recognizable themes) and also by shape (an instant identifier for ceramics without a backstamp).
More than 2,000 illustrations plus a history, bibliography, glossary, and collectors' guide ensure that this will be the definitive book on the subject for generations to come. Over 2,000 illustrations, 1,384 in color.
Synopsis
Over 2,000 patterns and pieces by ceramicist Clarice Cliff and her colleagues at the Wilkinson Pottery: the most complete guide ever published to Cliff's colorful, delightful, and highly collectible work.
The dazzling ceramics of Clarice Cliff and the Wilkinson Pottery, which first encouraged her work in the 1920s, are among the most popular collectibles from the twentieth century. Ever since the exuberant colors and bold shapes of Cliff's classic Art Deco pieces first caught the imagination of collectors, auction prices have moved inexorably upwards, reaching over $50,000 for a single item. Now, after years of research, both in the Wilkinson archives and through the oral testimonies of surviving employees, Greg Slater has produced the first comprehensive survey of the work of Clarice Cliff and her largely uncredited colleagues at the Wilkinson Pottery from the 1920s to the 1950s.
This massive reference work identifies the origin, name, designer, date, and decoration method of all the significant pieces. Accessible through three indexes—pattern name, number, and backstamp—the book is organized by pattern (including groups assigned by the Wilkinson Pottery and recognizable themes) and also by shape (an instant identifier for ceramics without a backstamp).
More than 2,000 illustrations plus a history, bibliography, glossary, and collectors' guide ensure that this will be the definitive book on the subject for generations to come. Over 2,000 illustrations, 1,384 in color.
Library Journal
The title of this book just about says it all. But you may well ask, "Who is Clarice Cliff, and why should I spend $95 to read all about her?" Clarice Cliff was both a ceramic designer and also the line of ceramic ware that she designed. Born in 1899, a daughter of the working class in a smoky pottery town in Britain, she worked her way up the ladder from apprentice at 13 to chief designer at 31 to owner's wife at 41. The brilliantly colorful style of her pottery was a hit with the public all through the Depression, and tens of thousands of pieces flowed out all over the world. Hundreds of her designs are precisely cataloged in the more than 2000 illustrations in this giant book intended for collectors and ceramic researchers. High-quality color and black-and-white illustrations, copious notes, and rigorous organization combine to make this the preeminent work on Cliff's art; those more interested in the details of her life will prefer Leonard Griffin's more biographical Clarice Cliff: The Bizarre Affair. Recommended for art and larger public libraries.-David McClelland, Philadelphia Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.