A COLLECTION of ceramics by one of the pottery world's most renowned designers fetched nearly £220,000 at auction.

Vases, jugs and pots by Tunstall-born artist Clarice Cliff, described as the finest collection to come on to the market, were sold by Bonham's in London yesterday.

The 100 art deco inspired pieces, created from 1860 to 1945, were put up for auction by Swiss-born oil man Sevi Guatelli.

Mr Guatelli, who married a Scotswoman and lives in Glasgow, began collecting Cliff's work in 1990 after his niece chose the artist as a topic for a school project.

As well as collecting pottery he has also written a book on Cliff.

He said: "Whenever I found myself away from the very different world of oil exploration, I made my way to antique shops and auction houses where I might indulge this growing love and respect for her work."

One of the biggest sales was a triangular vase, Red Cafe, from around 1930, pictured below, which sold for £9,000 including a buyer's premium.

Around two thirds of the collection sold, fetching almost £220,000, Bonham's said.

Clarice Cliff was born in Tunstall and began producing hand-painted pottery in 1917.

Her vibrant designs saw her become a household name and one of the most influential ceramic artists of the last century.

Bonham's Natalie Evison said: "This collection highlights Clarice Cliff's distinct style of the art deco and early modernist periods, representing the very best of her bold abstract designs and shapes, including many rare examples that have not been seen on the market for many years."