THE ANTIQUES THAT SHAPED ME Rory Hutton

The accessories designer on his love of silver spoons and Sévres porcelain

- Rory Hutton

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.