Students pursuing a GCSE, ‘A’ level or BTEC course or equivalent will find the following books useful:
 

Title	Author	Publisher/date
Talking Tea with Clarice Cliff: A celebration of her Art Deco teaware  (Tells the story behind the amazing Art Deco teapot creations and the designer who brightened the Thirties with her sense of daring, style and fun)	L. Griffin	Pavilion 1996
The Fantastic Flowers of Clarice Cliff  (Her lifelong love of flowers influenced some of her most vibrant designs. This book traces the inspiration behind her fantastic floral designs)	L. Griffin	Pavilion 1998
Clarice Cliff:The Art of Bizarre (Comprehensively records her life and work, celebrating it with excellently reproduced images of her major pieces from collections from all around the world. Available May 27th 1999)	L. Griffin	Pavilion May 1999

For those pursuing degree courses, especially in art, or at post graduate level, the above books will be a good background read. In addition, the following books will be worth reading.
 

Title	Author	Publication/date
Clarice Cliff  (This excellent pioneer book on Clarice Cliff not only gives the many collectors of her wares detailed information about the range and dates; it also gives a clear picture of the woman)	Wentworth -Shields,  Johnson	L’Odeon 1976
The Bizarre Affair (This book is now 11 years old and although it is worth a read some of the information is out-of-date. Clarice Cliff: The Art of Bizarre is its replacement)	Meisel, Griffin	Abrams 1988
The Rich Designs of Clarice Cliff (Good reference material especially for pattern names and illustrations)	Griffin, Green Jones	Rich Designs Limited 1995
Collecting Clarice Cliff (good for shape sheet and prices)	Watson	Kevin Francis

 

Clarice Cliff:The Art of Bizarre (Comprehensively records her life and work, celebrating it with excellently reproduced images of her major pieces from collections from all around the world. Available May 27th 1999 from most book stores and the internet)	Griffin	Pavilion April 1999
The Shorter Connection (Gives background information on Colley Shorter Clarice’s employer, lover then husband)	Hopwood	Richard Dennis 1994

For those who require more specialist reading

The books listed below put the Art Deco period into context. 
 

Title	Author	Publisher/date
The Decorative Thirties (The first major work on the period written by someone who had actually lived through it)	Martin Battersby	London: Studio Vista  1969
Modernism  (The book systematically explores the core period 1880-1940 by tracing its evolution through the six principle movements)	Alastair Duncan	Antique Collectors Club 1998
Phaidon Encyclopaedia of Decorative Art  (Provides a comprehensive account of all the classic movements in design of the modern period)	Phillipe Garner	Phaidon London 1980

Chetwynd House - the Arts and Crafts house where Clarice and Colley lived was built by Parker and Unwin, both famous architects who designed Welwyn Garden City. More information about these two architects is available in the following books:
 

Title	Author	Publisher/date
The Arts and Crafts Movement (Surveys the Arts and Crafts design which embraced architecture, furniture, glass etc and information on Chetwynd house and Parker and Unwin)	E Cumming W Kaplan	World of Art 1991
Arts and Crafts Architecture  (Provides detailed information on some of the major commissions undertaken by Parker and Unwin)	Peter Davey	Phaidon  1980

Catalogues
 

British Art and Design before the War	Arts Council of Great Britain	1979
Clarice Cliff	Brighton Museum and Art Gallery	1972
Christie’s	St. James  London	1983
Mobilier et Decoration	Paris Editions Edmund Honor	1929 1930
The World of Art Deco	Minneapolis Institute of Arts	1971

For further information, books and other resources contact or visit Hanley Library and or the Potteries Museum.
 

Fact finder on Clarice Cliff’s achievements

• First women ‘Art Director’ in the Potteries
• Her designs were sold around the world
• She was successful in the midst of the depression and kept many hundreds of workers in employment
• She promoted her ceramics well by using new promotional techniques to sell her pottery
• She supplied 460 large stores just in the North of England
• She has never been formally recognised for her contribution to design although she has received acclaim throughout the world by people’s interest in her pottery and by those who bought her pottery throughout her career.