The words "Charleston, South Carolina" may bring to mind a sleepy Southern town with old-fashioned taste. But the city I discovered when I was writing Charleston Style: Then and Now (Universe; $23) is far more complex, having known periods of enormous wealth and cosmopolitan flair, including the one that is unfolding now. Charleston is among the country's fastest-growing cities in terms of where affluent executives are buying second homes and retiring, many of them snapping up residences in the historic downtown. And just as the city is having a revival, so are its antiques. Scholarly recognition of Charleston's furniture-making tradition is on the rise. Spring now brings the Charleston International Antiques Show, which was deemed a marvelous success when the Historic Charleston Foundation launched it, in 2004. (This year's show runs from March 17 through March 19. 843-722-3405; historiccharleston.org). Because of the new interest in the city and the accompanying influx of customers, local dealers are flourishing. "The antiques shops in Charleston are better than anywhere else I know of in the South," says Richard Jenrette, the former Wall Street CEO who is also a renowned collector of antiques and historic homes, including a house in Charleston.
Antiquing on King Street
A walking tour of downtown Charleston's King Street, which is lined with storefronts dating as far back as the 18th century, reveals an eclectic array of goods. "Shops here always specialized in English antiques, with some American, but today there is a little of everything: English, French, Italian and Swedish," says interior decorator Amelia T. Handegan, who has her own antiques-filled showroom (No. 517; by appointment, 843-722-9373).
Although you'll discover a few dealers among the chic emporiums on upper King, I recommend starting farther south, at the intersection with Market Street. One of the antiques district's newest shops, Dailey-Grommé Twentieth Century (No. 208; 843-853-2299; dailey-gromme.com), is somewhat unusual for Charleston because the owners focus on French and Belgian Art Deco. At their decidedly modern boutique, Dick Dailey and Tom Grommé display among their many items a pair of Süe et Mare chairs ($29,000) that were exhibited in the 1925 Paris Exposition des Arts Décoratifs.
One door down but far removed in style is Golden & Associates (No. 206; 843-723-8886), which nearly overflows with inlaid chests, oil portraits, massive four-poster beds and other European and Early American articles. "I don't buy anything made after 1840," says Andy Golden, who carries many items that might have been in the homes of wealthy bygone Charlestonians. Charleston-made antiques are sought after and costly, and when I last visited, Golden had just sold a tilt-top tea table, produced locally between 1755 and 1775, for an undisclosed (and doubtless large) amount. But what captivated me most was a Regency Chinese-style red-lacquered bed from England ($22,500).
My next stop, A. Fairfax Antiques (No. 200; 843-853-2400), has a more curated look, showcasing each piece of 18th- and 19th-century American furniture, much of it manufactured in the South, on a pedestal or stand, as if in a gallery. Ann Fairfax Silliman, who studied decorative arts at Sotheby's, and her husband, David Silliman, operate the store, which has such impressive offerings as a circa 1790 neoclassical linen press ($85,000).
One block down is the Jack Patla Company (No. 181; 843-723-2314), where you can find silver objects that make ideal gifts for weddings and christenings. Founded in 1951 by Patla, who was known for his Georgian silver, the shop is now owned by the equally silver-savvy Peter and Linda Loda, whose stock includes Victorian spoon warmers ($600) and 18th-century teapots by Hester Bateman, the queen of English silversmiths (from $6,500). They also feature English cast-lead garden statuary and furniture from the era of George III (1760-1820).
On the same block is the esteemed George C. Williams LLC American Antiques (No. 155; 843-377-0290; georgecwilliams.com). Williams is cited by collectors as one of the city's foremost dealers in Southern antiques. Typical of the exceptional pieces he carries is an early neoclassical Charleston-made linen press with secretary with a broken-arch pediment ($75,000).
Although collectors of Southern antiques covet such finds, some shoppers may prefer Continental European items, which are often less costly. Across the street at Alexandra AD (No. 156; 843-722-4897), owner Ritva Heino sells antique furniture and decorative objects as well as modern lamps and accessories, all from Europe. On a recent visit, I admired a French gilt-wood opera chandelier ($5,900), and I adore the set of late-19th-century Spanish-style dining chairs with original leather seats ($300 each) that I bought there three years ago.
