Bizarre at the auction

By William Gregory MRICS, Golding Young and Mawer.

Salesroom offer a multitude of goods, although finding that perfect lot can take time and effort!
The internet catalogue word search feature has become a must-have tool for the collector, and to the casual auction browser searching through can have its rewards.

One of the most identifiable lots at auction is Clarice Cliff pottery.

Born in 1899, Clarice joined the Wilkinson pottery factory in 1916. Whilst there she designed and introduced the Art Deco influenced decoration known as Bizarre.

The bold colours and geometric forms are now one of the most iconic pottery designs for collectors.

Due to its popularity in the early 20th century, the Wilkinson factory production was vast, and this is reflected in the items regularly appearing in today’s auctions. However, some patterns are rarer than others, and this is reflected in the variation of prices.

At our recent Lincoln auction, a Bizarre coffee service caught the bidders’ eyes selling for £2,600.

Jewellery is another favourite, and the combination of valuable metals and precious stones always attracts bids. A longuard chain, which would have originally been used with a pocket watch but is now worn as a necklace, sold for a bid of £420.

Finally, one for the ear, a 19th-century rosewood concertina – on demand music for £600, with the bonus of a restoration project for the case.

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