Earthenware Inkwell by Clarice Cliff

This is a pottery inkwell by the renowned British ceramic artist Clarice Cliff. Its design, vibrant colors, and distinctive markings identify it as a piece of Art Deco pottery from the interwar period.

Here’s a detailed description of the inkwell, along with information about Clarice Cliff, “Bizarre Ware,” and Newport Pottery:

Description of the Inkwell:

• Form: The inkwell is a compact, cuboid (square) form with a recessed, circular opening on the top to hold the ink. It features a separate, square-shaped stopper that fits within the opening to protect the ink.
• Material: It is made of earthenware pottery.
• Glaze and Decoration:
  • Color Palette: The inkwell is decorated in a bright, cheerful, Art Deco palette. Dominant colors include a vibrant light green on the top surface, a sunny yellow for the landscape’s ground, various shades of green for foliage and water, and reddish-orange for architectural elements and stylized flowers. The background of the scene is a creamy off-white.
  • Continuous Landscape Scene: The most prominent decorative feature is a continuous, wrap-around landscape scene hand-painted around all four sides of the inkwell. The style is abstract and simplified, a hallmark of Cliff’s work.
    • One side features stylized red-orange flowers with blue centers emerging from brown foliage, set against a yellow ground with green waves or water at the base.
    • Another side depicts a charming, red-roofed cottage nestled within a yellow landscape, with green ground lines.
    • Another side shows a broad tree with simplified green foliage and a brown trunk, again on a yellow ground with green elements.
    • The exact continuation of the scene implies a coherent, albeit stylized, pastoral vista.
  • Borders: A thin, reddish-orange line borders the top edge of the inkwell where the green top glaze meets the cream body, and also defines the rim of the inkwell’s opening and the base of the stopper. The bottom edge has a green painted border.
• Stopper/Lid: The stopper is a simple, stepped square form with a red-orange top, designed to fit snugly into the inkwell opening. Its base is the same cream color as the main body.
• Interior: The interior of the inkwell opening is a pale cream color. The main cavity is designed to hold ink.
• Impressions and Markings (Underside):
  • Impressed Mark: “458” is impressed into the pottery on the underside, indicating the mold number for this specific shape.
  • Backstamp: The bottom bears a distinct black printed mark, which is the key to its attribution:
    • “Hand Painted“
    • “Bizarre by Clarice Cliff“
    • “Newport Pottery England” This backstamp confirms its authenticity and origin.

About Clarice Cliff (1899–1972):

Clarice Cliff was an iconic English ceramic artist and designer, best known for her highly distinctive and colorful Art Deco pottery produced between the late 1920s and the mid-20th century.

• Early Life and Career: Born in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, one of the famous “Potteries” towns, Cliff began her career at a young age, initially as a decorator, then as a modeler and designer. She studied at the Royal College of Art.
• Art Deco Pioneer: She rose to prominence in the late 1920s and 1930s with her bold, geometric, and often abstract designs. Her work was a radical departure from the more traditional floral patterns of the time, embracing the new Art Deco aesthetic characterized by strong lines, simplified forms, and vibrant color schemes.
• “Bizarre Ware”: This was the brand name given to her most famous and distinctive range of brightly colored earthenware, launched in 1927. It was an instant success, appealing to a public eager for modern, affordable, and cheerful designs during the Great Depression. Her designs were often hand-painted by a team of young female decorators known as “Bizarre girls.”
• Influence and Legacy: Cliff’s work had a profound impact on British ceramic design. She brought art into everyday objects and made modern design accessible to a wide audience. Her pieces are celebrated for their artistic merit, historical significance, and enduring appeal.

About “Bizarre Ware”:

“Bizarre Ware” is the generic term for the range of brightly colored, hand-painted earthenware designed by Clarice Cliff.

• Launch: Introduced in 1927.
• Characteristics: It’s characterized by bold, often geometric or abstract patterns, vibrant and unusual color combinations (e.g., strong greens, yellows, oranges, blues, and reds), and simplified landscape or abstract floral motifs.
• Hand-Painted: A key feature was that each piece was hand-painted, which added to its unique charm, even though it was a factory production.
• Popularity: It was incredibly popular during its heyday, making Clarice Cliff a household name. The term “Bizarre” was chosen because the designs were considered eccentric and unconventional for their time.

About Newport Pottery (England):

• Location and History: Newport Pottery was a ceramic factory located in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England, within the heart of the historic “Potteries” region. It was part of the A.J. Wilkinson Ltd. group.
• Association with Clarice Cliff: Newport Pottery became synonymous with Clarice Cliff’s work because it was the factory where her “Bizarre” and other famous ranges were produced. She worked for A.J. Wilkinson Ltd. (which owned Newport Pottery) for virtually her entire career, eventually becoming Art Director.
• Production: The pottery produced a wide range of earthenware, but its fame largely rests on the innovative and highly successful designs of Clarice Cliff.

In summary, this inkwell is a charming and authentic piece of Art Deco design by one of Britain’s most celebrated ceramic artists, Clarice Cliff, made at the Newport Pottery during her most influential period.