Vintage view

GEORGIAN. Even the word has a plum-stuffed haughtiness.

It’s everywhere from the fanlights of Sunday’s Well, to the tender reproductions of dainty furnishings in every shop from Cheap Cheerful Pat’s to the bespoke galleries of Francis Street.

Since its inception by a number of design geniuses in the 18th century, Georgian has remained the bar against which other genres are judged. I only own one piece of kingly cabinetry, a small fruit wood table found spade-foot; soles-up in a skip. It’s worth very little, but the two centuries of rat nibbles on to its ankles have not dimmed its loveliness.