FORMER CARNABY STREET CLOTHES DESIGNER TO THE STARS MAKES SECOND STELLAR CAREER IN CLAY
The work of a remarkable woman, Sally Tuffin is on sale at Bonhams next Design Sale on December 7. Where her Carnaby Street creations once clothed Pop Royalty, she now designs pots that are acknowledged by experts to be stars in their own right.
Paul McCartney and the Beatles were once clients at `Foale and Tuffin', buying her cutting edge clothes, as were all those who could claim to be part of the scene in 1960's Britain. Now at the age of 70 Sally Tuffin has once more made a name for herself - with clay - and this time she rivals not Mary Quant but the illustrious names of 20th century British pottery, such as Clarice Cliff and William Moorcroft.
Each year Bonhams Design Department commissions unique one-off works by Sally Tuffin, and at this sale on December 7 at New Bond Street, no fewer than 16 of her bold clever items are on sale among the hundreds of other items on sale.
Perhaps one of her most striking works is titled `March of the Penguins' - a piece which features no fewer than 40 individually modelled black and white birds edging their way down an ice flow, circling closer to the sea and then casting themselves adrift. This arresting work is estimated to attract bids in the region of £1,500 to £2,000 but Design Department Director, Mark Oliver, says: "We were not surprised to get a winning bid of £11,000 for one of her pieces recently. She is up there with William Moorcroft, Clarice Cliff and Henry Doulton. But she is working now and her contemporary work is already attracting prices in the league of these giants of the ceramics world."
Lot 525 'March of the Penguins', a vase, is a slightly tapering vessel painted in pale blue/green to resemble an iceberg, applied with a spiralling slope with a procession of penguins queueing up to dive into the sea, decorated by Marcus Jubb, thrown by Rory McLeod, models by Alan Pepper 18cm high, stamped and painted marks, with 'ST des' and number B72.
Lot 532 'Octopus' is another vase with a sea theme. This tube-lined and painted with two of the large creatures, four of their tentacles gripping the rim, decorated is by Heidi Warr, and thrown by Rory McLeod. It is 35.5cm high, stamped and painted marks, with 'ST des' and number B66. Estimate £500-600.
Mark Oliver adds: "We identified Sally Tuffin about five years ago as someone exceptional. She has a remarkable eye, whether producing fashion designer clothes or eye-catching ceramics. Her work will doubtless continue to enthral an ever growing group of loyal enthusiasts."
