Her domestic ware, trademarked Bizarre, was technically and aesthetically innovative - designed to startle, surprise and amuse.
Who was this celebrated woman ceramicist?
Born in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, in 1899, Clarice grew up in an area surrounded by hundreds of small pottery factories, known as potbanks. At age 13 she began working in the potteries, initially as an apprentice enameller before moving to another factory to become a lithographer.
By 17, she had switched employers twice, ending up at A J Wilkinson's, a successful pottery in Burslem, owned by the Shorter family.
It quickly became apparent to factory manager Jack Walker that Clarice not only had an overall practical knowledge of the pottery process, but had mastered the techniques of gilding, enamelling, lithography and design.
Realising her combined talent and strong sense of initiative, Walker suggested to Colley Shorter, the managing director of Wilkinson's (who became Clarice's mentor, then lover), that she be given a key position in the design studio.
Wilkinson's had recently purchased the adjoining Newport Pottery and in 1925, as Shorter's confidence in Clarice's ability grew, he gave her studio space there along with the help of a fulltime paintress.
Left over from Newport's previous owners were shelves of undecorated defective whiteware. In 1927, to encourage sales, Clarice decided to decorate these with vivid coloured geometric designs and turn them into beautiful contemporary pieces. She trademarked the ware Bizarre.
The first stocks sold swiftly and despite bad reviews at the British Industries Fair of 1928 where it was launched, orders began to flood in. In 1929, Clarice started to design her own forms including the conical cone sugar shaker and the Stamford teapot. She also created her first and long-lasting floral pattern, Crocus.
Backed by clever advertising and frequent in-store demonstrations, the demand for Bizarre grew. Marketing schemes including editions with imaginative names such as Delicia, Biarritz and Fantasque, along with modest prices, helped to popularise her wares.
Such was her success that in 1930 Clarice was appointed company art director of both Newport and Wilkinson's Potteries. She was now involved in all aspects of ceramic design – pattern, shape and surface texture and by 1940 had conceived or overseen the production of more than 500 shapes and 2000 patterns.
By 1937 tastes had changed, so Clarice turned to more restrained and delicate designs such as Waterlily. With this transition the famous trademark Bizarre was phased out, which marked the end of era - gone were the bold colours and designs of the Art Deco period.
With the advent of World War II, decorated china was banned and instead functional ware was manufactured. It also signified the end of Clarice Cliff's design career.
In 1940, after the death of his wife Ann, Colley Shorter and Clarice secretly married, and moved to Chetwynd House, the Shorter family home, where Clarice concentrated on creating a magnificent garden. The couple spent the ensuing years on marketing business trips around the world.
Colley died in 1963, aged 81. The following year Clarice sold the Wilkinson and Newport factories to Midwinter Pottery and retreated to Chetwynd House where she lived until her death on October 23, 1972.
Just months prior, Brighton Museum had staged the first exhibition of her work, however it wasn't until after her death that she was finally recognised and hailed as a groundbreaker in 20th century design.
Gail Pope is social history curator at the MTG.
