Decorative art – or craft, as the area is otherwise known – is often dismissed by critics as the lowly and less glamorous cousin of the fine art world. After all, hand-crafted glass, ceramics, jewellery, metalware, woodwork, furniture and textiles have traditionally been valued for their functional appeal first and their aesthetic appeal second.

But today’s buyers think differently and so do museum curators, who are increasingly incorporating decorative arts into fine art collections. “In a sense, these are today’s historic pieces,” says Adrian Sassoon, a dealer who specialises in contemporary British studio ceramics and glass. “They are both decorative and sculptural and museums and individuals want to buy something with some sort of purpose.”