By Louise Irvine Clarice Cliff was the diva of British Art Deco ceramics and a pioneering woman in the Staffordshire Pottery industry. She was the first woman to be appointed Art Director of a major company and she designed both the shapes and the patterns for commercial tableware, traditionally a

As we prepare for our Fantastique exhibition at WMODA, we are discovering how mask-wearing has retained its appeal from ancient Greek theater via the Venetian Carnival and decadent cabarets of Europe to the Halloween parties of today. The word mask descends from the old French masque, meaning a face covering.

          In the past we’ve featured Wedgwood shoe heels, now buttons are in the spotlight. Wedgwood Jasper ware buttons date back to the 18th century. They were made in a variety of sizes and were mounted in copper, steel and sometimes pearl. An impressive collection of

While you soak up the rays in your teeny bikini this summer, spare a thought for the bathing suit pioneers of the early 1900s. Annette Kellermann, the Australian swimmer and movie star, advocated one-piece fitted bathing suits for women. In 1907, at the height of her popularity, she was arrested

We’re delighted with the popularity of our Carnival & Cabaret exhibition and we’re “pleased as Punch” to highlight one of the most colorful characters in the show. Discover how the grotesque Pulcinello from the Italian commedia dell’Arte became a popular children’s character in the traditional Punch & Judy puppet show.

At WMODA, we are fascinated by wearable glass and we have several pieces by Chelsea Rousso on display. Chelsea is a fashion writer, teacher and fused glass artist. She weaves ribbons and strands of glass into female forms some of which are designed to be worn. Guests at our WMODA

By Louise Irvine We were inspired to delve into the history of our Minton Mermaids jardinière after seeing its twin at the Hamptons Jewelry & Objets d’Art show. Nicolaus Boston, the highly regarded Majolica expert, considers the grey shell version at WMODA to be one of the finest produced by