The Elizabethan portrait is of Bess of Hardwick's daughter-in-law, by repute. The bust on the fireplace is the death mask of Henry Irving, who was the great-great-grandfather of Andrew's godson.
Not many people have such commitment to creating a look as Andrew Downs. Like the home opposite Deal Castle, which he shares with his husband Jeff, he is a real one-off. Never taking himself too seriously, Andrew is in the constant process of conjuring up something theatrical, amusing and quite spellbinding. His passion is for the late Victorian and Aesthetic Movement period, and although he doesn't collect or deal professionally, his knowledge is encyclopedic.
The charger on top of the display cabinet is HW Foster for Minton. The signed portrait of Princess Margaret is by Snowdon. Reverse glass paintings hang to the right.
'I began collecting as a child. I have no idea why, he admits. I've always wanted to do that kind of wonderful, early, pared-back Georgian look with one tip-top table and a wing-backed chair. I start off like that but, before you know it, there's a doily and five pictures of Queen Victoria, 27 decanters and some antimacassars,' he laughs.
Andrew and Jeff are just the third owners of the five-storey townhouse, which was built in 1879 on the site of the old naval yard. Several pieces of furniture remain from its first days, and important mementos have been passed down from owner to owner, including a christening cup and a plaque made for the first owner, Joseph Zaehnsdorf, a master bookbinder. With its lofty ceilings and elegant proportions, the house was a surprise to Andrew. In contrast to the building standards of his previous Georgian home, everything is sturdier and better-built here.
Denne historien er fra November 2022-utgaven av Homes & Antiques.
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Denne historien er fra November 2022-utgaven av Homes & Antiques.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Collecting Dioramas MINIATURE WORLDS
From elaborate taxidermy museum displays to humble folk art creations, a diorama can transport us to another time and place
Pride of place LEEDS CREAMWARE
In its heyday the pre-eminent rival to Wedgwood's Queens ware, Leeds creamware is still much revered by collectors for its understated elegance
Bohemian Rhapsody
An exuberant approach to decor, with rooms enveloped in colour and pattern, has brought this historic home merrily into the 21st century...
THE ANTIQUES THAT SHAPED ME Rory Hutton
The accessories designer on his love of silver spoons and Sévres porcelain
European HERITAGE B&Bs
Is there anything more inspiring than staying somewhere that's both beautifully stylish and imbued with history? Rhiannon Batten explores five gems across Europe, from Sweden to Spain...
STAR SALES
A Hitchens painting, a museum-quality teapot and a Parisian chocolate box are all top of the lots
Textile designs by artists
Influential 20th-century fine artists and sculptors, from Picasso to Barbara Hepworth, gained additional status as textile designers until decline set in during the 1970s
Period DRAMA
A painstaking renovation has brought this 1725 former Huguenot silk weaver's house in London's Spitalfields back to life
An artist's RESIDENCE
Rustic details and a restrained palette lend a sense of simplicity to this lovingly restored Friesian bakery
Carefully Curated LIVING
This lovingly restored Gustavian manor has become both home and showroom for its owners, Maria & Jan Åke, who deal in European antiques