| The appearance of a whole auction full of Clarice
Cliff ceramics in New Zealand is a major event. The fact that it
is being held in one of the smaller towns is amazing.
Napier, on the east coast of the North Island,
has established a reputation as the Art
Deco centre of the two islands, and every February has an Art Deco
festival. This is because much of the town was re-built in Deco style in
the early thirties after a disastrous earthquake. The fortunate legacy
is that the stylish buildings, combined with a Victorian sea-front lined
with imposing Fir trees, makes this a perfect place to sell the Clarice
Cliff collections of several local people.
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The Star lot will almost certainly be the Lotus
shape jug in Appliqué Lugano Orange.
This rare 1930 design has made amazingly high prices
at auction; recently a small Apple honey preserve pot sold for £2500
on eBay.
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A teaset of Athens shape in Sunray
Leaves is a rarity that may be a little more affordable.
It includes the rare
Athens shape cups.
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Another teaset is of Daffodil shape, decorated
in Nasturtium, a confusing mix of floral names! This set
dates from 1932 and the shape is one of the harder Clarice Cliff ones to
find.
There are also many solo lots, a Stamford
shape teapot in Nasturtium, a Beehive honey in Poppies,
and a vase in Amberose.
There are several strong floral plates, including
a Latona Blossom and a Nuage one.
Vases include a Delecia shape 362,
and a large jug in Secrets, as well as some Wilkinson’s items.
One of the smaller vases, but definitely desirable
is a Farmhouse shape 356/371.
Several smaller pieces in Fantasque Gardenia
will be of interest, and there is also a Sabot in Viscaria.
The sale is to be held at the Napier Museum,
on Sunday March 11th, the best day for collectors from Wellington
and Auckland to travel to Napier. It is likely to attract overseas buyers,
who (strangely) will be bidding up to 20 hours later, so for some it may
be a Saturday auction!
The Clarice Cliff sale is being staged by Percy’s
of Hawkes Bay who have long had a reputation in the antiques trade,
and run a well-known centre. After the auction their name should be known
around the world!
For further details, e-mail percysofhb@xtra.co.nz
or call 0064 6835 9865.
(All illustrations/details courtesy
of Percy’s: please check with them over any item before bidding)
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