4 minute read

Joy Thorpe wasn’t always an antiques dealer. Specialising in printed textiles at NCAD, she worked as a visual merchandiser before selling antiques. “I found I really loved to curate a space,” she tells me. “I didn’t want my customers to walk into a room crammed with antiques. I wanted to show them how pieces could look and how they could also work with other pieces.”

Her artist’s eye is put to good use in her Castlecomer showroom where she juxtaposes eras, styles and textures with considerable flair, using anything from a French leather armchair to an Oriental screen or a farmhouse kitchen table. The opportunity to take on the space arose during lockdown. “I spotted the building on walks and I knew it needed a lot of work, but it had so much potential I decided to take it on. I exposed the original stone, put down a parquet floor, and I’m really happy with the results.”

Since opening a year and a half ago she hasn’t looked back. “ I’m very happy with the space and love staging it.” The same approach extends to her home, which is packed with antique and vintage finds sourced on travels, at auctions and on the road around Ireland. Here, she tells Nikki Walsh what she wouldn’t part with:

French Leather Armchair

I picked up this French Art Deco armchair at an auction in Ireland. I sell a lot of these – they are very on trend – and I love them for their tactile softness. The patina just gets better and better with age.

Table and Chairs

My French table and chairs were bought from an Irish dealer, who deals a lot in French furniture. They are the perfect foil for my Vietnamese bowls and my grandmother’s French lace.

French Oil Paintings

I got these in an auction in Ireland. I love having art in my home. These are a bit battered and a bit worn, but they have a lovely feel. I was instantly drawn to the colouring and the matte-ness.

Bank of Drawers

I love these oak drawers, which can hold a multitude of things. They are Land Commission drawers and I found them when I was searching for a new car. I went to look at a Nissan Figaro in Kildare and discovered banks and banks of drawers and filing cabinets instead. Over the years I’ve bought lots of them, which came with the Land Commission’s indexed records, and I sold them all with the records in each one. They referenced farms in Tipperary and the handwriting was beautiful.

Granny’s Sewing Box

My granny was great at mending, darning, sewing and crochet. This is her sewing box and I keep all her threads and pins in it. The green leather pouch was for her gloves. The brooch I picked up at a car boot sale.

Check out Joy’s latest stock www.joythorpeantiques.com or drop into her Castlecomber showroom.
Don’t miss her Insta feed @joy.thorpe

Nikki Walsh, April 2022