I have my mum to thank for my love of antiques. As the youngest daughter of dealers, I spent my formative years either freezing my butt off at boot sales or eating cake at auctions, as we waited for the boxes of misc that no one else wanted. We found some good stuff in those 50p boxes of unloved treasure. Dad used to moan about us buying them, but mum knew what she was doing. She had 'the eye'.
My first (and enduring) antique love affair was with Clarice Cliff. I discovered her when I was about 12. I devoured all of the (pre-internet) information I could find on her and I spent at least a hundred boot sales wishing with all my life, that I'd have that elusive 'Clarice Cliff moment'.
It did happen, though not as an actual 'Clarice moment' and not till I was well into my 30's. Mum was the first person I called to share my amazing news with. She got it. She knew that I'd been searching for it for over half of my life.
She was the first person I wanted to call when I bagged this unmarked Clarice Cliff plate yesterday.
It's not an epic find in the scheme of things, but mum would have been as impressed as I was when I found it.
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank my vintage finds, surrogate mum @needaphone for always being interested in my recent buys. It means a lot to me. x
