I had a great friend called Robert Clow, who I met around the time of the start of the New Glasgow Society – he was one of the instigators in its foundation. His wife Catrina had set up an antique shop on Gibson Street, and I spotted this dresser one day when when I was passing, just around the time when I was wanting to furnish 9 Royal Terrace’s kitchen (we moved in there in 1973, having got married 1972). We bought it because we wanted a bit of furniture to fit the space in the kitchen: I certainly didn’t have any intention of buying things to fit its shelves – we had plenty of china and things – which filled it from the start, but it was never filled up as it has been for the last 30 years. One of the first things that we bought that went into it specifically were those 3 floral plates on the top shelf which we bought in France – the first trip we did to France with Mil.
Anthony
I’ve always had a love for big bits of furniture against a wall. I think this goes back to my childhood when I felt a little bit lonesome unless I was surrounded by objects. Always from my earliest years I had a need to be surrounded – possibly because my mother was frightfully busy and never around – so objects kind of took the place of people. The dresser itself was very nurturing and protective – it always had these nice backsides, and it denoted the comfort of a kitchen.
Alison
The Royal Collection 