2018 Charleston Antiques Show

2018  /  31 Interpreting Charleston’s Merchant Elite C onstructed between 1803 and 1808, the Nathaniel Russell House is one of America’s most important neoclassical structures and a jewel in Charleston’s architectural crown. Mr. Russell was 70 years of age when he and his family moved in to their new residence at 51 Meeting Street, and the opulent interiors serve as testament to the immense wealth he accumulated over his lifetime. Acquired by Historic Charleston Foundation in 1955, the house has been operated as a museum ever since, educating visitors about architectural conservation, daily life in 19th- century Charleston, and the fine and decorative arts of the neoclassical period. The period of interpretation encompasses Mr. Russell’s lifetime in the house — 1808 to 1820 — and is furnished and interpreted accordingly. The Foundation has a robust acquisitions program focused specifically on Charleston-made objects from the late 18th to early 19th centuries. Following acquisition of the property in 1955, the Foundation faced substantial repairs to the house along with the task of furnishing and decorating the museum. The Furnishings and Decorative Committee, chaired by noted author and Charleston native Josephine Pinckney, was appointed to tackle the daunting task of assembling a museum collection—without any purchase funds. The community rallied in support, and friends of the Foundation loaned or gifted exquisite furnishings and fine art to enhance The Entry Hall in Charleston, South Carolina’s, stately Nathaniel Russell House Museum features original circa 1808 doors with their original glass window panes. The heart pine doors, faux painted to resemble mahogany and satinwood, separated the house’s residential and commercial spaces. The three-story flying staircase soars above a rare Charleston-made cabinet on stand, attributed to Scottish immigrant cabinetmaker Robert Walker (1772–1833). Credit: William Struhs. By Lauren Northup, Director of Museums Historic Charleston Foundation