What first sparked your interest in antiques?
I caught the antiques bug very early; I can't remember a time when I wasn't interested in history and the decorative arts. Growing up in Ireland, I developed a deep love of Georgian architecture and the romance of the elegantly dilapidated. The past seemed so glamorous a fantasy world I could escape to. As a child, I befriended all the local antiques dealers. One in particular encouraged me to learn about silver marks, and I began buying odd teaspoons with my pocket money. I loved how I could date them so precisely, and I would tick off the years in my book of silver hallmarks whenever I made a new acquisition. I joined the Irish Georgian Society in my teens - by the age of 17, I was selling small silver items and objets d'art at antiques fairs. I don't deal in antiques now; I prefer to collect and draw inspiration for my work.
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