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In the living room of antiques dealer John Pope’s home in Charleston, South Carolina, the eclectic mix includes everything from a 19th-century Scottish convex mirror to 1970s rattan armchairs.

PETER FRANK EDWARDS

A 19th-Century Fire Station Becomes an Antiques Dealer’s Elegantly Curated Home

John Pope’s 1849 Charleston house reflects the well-honed eye of a peripatetic collector.

January 4, 2025

Schumacher’s newest book, Southern Interiors: A Celebration of Personal Style by Tori Mellott, invites readers into the private worlds of inspiring creatives across the American South. In this exclusive excerpt, we’re paying a visit to the Charleston home of antiques dealer John Pope to find out what southern living means to him.

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I was born in Missouri, attended Savannah College of Art and Design, and decided to stay in the Low Country and move to Charleston, South Carolina. I live in a building originally constructed in 1849 as the Vigilant Fire Company, one of Charleston’s leading fire department stations. It later became the Maritime Union Hall, then a grocery store. It turned residential in the 1950s, and tile floors and classical woodwork were installed. 

The city of Charleston, with its history, architecture, and connection to nature, still holds a sense of place and soul. And the Low Country as a natural environment is unparalleled: From salt marshes and coastal waterways, it is a backdrop that constantly surrounds us here. Rising and falling tides, migrating birds, and the sunrises and sunsets are a calming force in a busy world.

In the foyer, a framed 19th-century Turkish servant’s jacket hangs amid collected objects, including embossed metal tea trays and a specimen marble sampler.

PETER FRANK EDWARDS

Antiquarian John Pope sits in his book-lined living room by a table inset with marble specimens. 

PETER FRANK EDWARDS

A 19th-century French portrait of a North African man takes pride of place in the den, surrounded by 18th-century English Delftware and Indian and Moroccan tea trays.

PETER FRANK EDWARDS

Tell us about a few of your favorite things in your house.

My collection of grand tour souvenirs is my longest running. It’s turned into a bit of a cabinet of curiosities with antique classical objects, bugs, shells, and dried leaves reminding me of trips or events in my life. I also love the paneled woodwork in the house and the tile floors installed in the ’50s. Though not documented, some historians believe they were designed by iconic local architect Albert Simons, whose office was just down the street. The carved cornices, paneled chimney piece, and bookshelves were all beautifully crafted in Charleston.

A Napoleon II rosewood armchair covered in a jewel-toned moiré sits beside a framed Art Deco pen-and-ink drawing and a kilim-covered Parsons bench.

PETER FRANK EDWARDS

Pope’s burgeoning collection of Grand Tour souvenirs includes malachite objects and obelisks and marble busts. 

PETER FRANK EDWARDS

What defines Southern living for you?

Entertaining and hospitality. They influence our design and decoration, especially in creating flexible spaces with lots of extra seating that’s easy to pull up and rearrange: stools, benches, garden seats. I usually leave my dining table small for more intimate dinners, but it can expand to seat 12. In the winter, having lunch or dinner in front of the fire at the marble-top table in the living room is a highlight. My bar is always set, stocked, and ready, with everything at my fingertips. I just add ice to the bucket and cut some fruit and I’m always ready to entertain.

How has the region shaped your aesthetic?

Southern homes are warm, welcoming, and inviting, with plenty of collected objects that are rich with history. I like my home to tell stories of my travels and things I’ve accumulated along the way. Most of my belongings invoke memories of my adventures.

In the primary bedroom, a woven Guatemalan ikat dresses the canopy of an 18th-century English bed, which in turn is outfitted with a lush Suzani.

PETER FRANK EDWARDS

What role do you think character plays in Southern houses?

Southern homes can be formal yet relaxed; elegant but not staid. They don’t take themselves too seriously, and they’ll mix the high and the low in the same space, which lets you be surrounded by beautiful objects and still feel comfortable. Some of the floor tiles in my house are loose—they click and clatter. I’ve considered having them fixed, but there’s something charming about the noise. I can tell where my dog is in the hallway by the sound of the clacks.

A Maison Jansen side table holds military epaulets.

PETER FRANK EDWARDS

Iranian pottery and heirloom rosaries sit on an Indian tray table.

PETER FRANK EDWARDS

This story originally appeared in Southern Interiors: A Celebration of Personal Style. Learn more here