Born and brought up in Edinburgh, attended Edinburgh College of Art. BA(Hons) 1983 Ceramics, second subject Glass; Post Graduate Diploma 1984 Ceramics. Then went to Royal College of Art and Victoria and Albert Museum (Associates of the V&A Scholarship) for MA(RCA) History of Design 1986. Taught at Teesside Polytechnic and, with Sophie Forgan, set up BA(Hons) History of Design, Architecture and the Built Environment. Later Taught at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art (Dundee) and joined GSA in the Department of Historical & Critical Studies in 1993. At various times have held consultancies for major auction rooms, notably Phillips (Cycles and Cycle Memorabilia) and Bonhams (Toys and Collectors' Items). Still active in these areas. Member of numerous collectors' societies, recently taken on editiorship of 'The Train Collector'.