Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Why Clarice Cliff?

I added Clarice Cliff to my selection of ceramics a few years ago, taking the leap into a more expensive collectible.  There are several reasons for my decision:  Cliff was innovative and influential in the British ceramics industry, particularly in the 1930s, and those are attributes I admire.  There's the wow factor of the colors and shapes.  I like the poetry of her abstract names (why are the exploded floral shapes called "aurea", "viscaria" or "rhodanthe"?)  As I spent time in my earlier years struggling with the paint brush (batik T-shirts in my case) I greatly admire the fluidity, how her designs fill space.  Since there are variations in the placement of Cliff's designs on the objects that came out of her workshop depending which woman painted the piece a collector should evaluate how well the pattern relates to the shape.  I'm drawn to her bizarre florals right now, but might go after her earlier abstracts.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Welcome to Antiques from Home

Trocadero.com                      Clarice Cliff is in my inventory!
Hello.  This is my first post, ever, and it's on my own blog.  I am Judith Lesser, owner of Antiques from Home.  I specialize in English Deco ceramics, including Clarice Cliff and Shelley.  My inventory includes many fine ceramics, which I have for sale at the website Trocadero.com, under the store name Antiques from Home.  You can go to Trocadero by clicking on the link below the picture.  I also sell at Antiques Shows in Virginia, New Jersey and New York, and my home state of Maryland.

I enjoy being part of the antiques and collectibles world (since a lot of my inventory is from the first half of the 20th century some would say I'm only in collectibles, not antiques).  Regardless I stand behind my product, my taste, and about 15 years experience in the business. 

Currently I'm getting ready for the Madison-Bouckville Antiques Show in New York state August 20-22.  This will be my first experience at what I hear is a great show (despite the 999 other dealers who will be there competing for sales and the fact it's an outdoor show subject to weather.  If you can't stand some adverse conditions don't be in business). Let me assure any collector who has stumbled into this blog that I will bring a variety of merchandise besides ceramics, including quilts, interesting metals, costume jewelry, and mauchline.  I picked up some terrific footstools over the weekend, and will be looking for more.  I knew there was a way for me to "get into" furniture.

That's all for now.  I'll probably have a few technical glitches along the way, so bear with me.  I'll be posting new finds - even pictures - here and at Trocadero.  And look out for a picture of me one of these days!