Easton treasures antiques

Southern Living, May 1998 by Thomas, Les

One of the things we like best about living here is that you can walk anywhere-to the shops, restaurants, and the theater," Paulette Lawing says as she shows a customer a rare book. She and her husband, Al, operate a maritime antiques shop in Easton, Maryland.

She's right. There's an inviting charm about this Eastern Shore town of 10,000 that makes you want to take a closer look. Increasingly, visitors are coming because of the antiques. Stores in handsome old buildings front tree-shaded sidewalks downtown. Browsing here is as much fun as a treasure hunt. A recent stroll turned up surprises as diverse as an 18th-century English swivel gun, suitable for fending off pirates on the high seas, and a Ming Dynasty Chinese wedding bed.

Paulette and Al moved from Orlando to open Easton Maritime Antiques two years ago. "We needed to be near water, and we've always loved this area," says Paulette. Al, the former CEO of a real estate company, spent 30 years collecting nautical antiques that fill the sevenroom house that holds their business.

Brass telescopes and navigational instruments gleam from display cases. A model ship, once owned by an Easton family, graces a front window. There are also rare, hand-painted 19th-century English volumes known as fore-edge books. Paintings cover the page edges.

Many downtown shops cluster along Harrison Street Antiques aren't all you'll find here. Mason's is popular for sandwiches, candies, and gourmet foods. Locals also like Legal Spirits, a restaurant adjacent to the Avalon Theatre (the performing arts center).

Unexpected finds sometimes turn up at Tharpe House Antiques and Decorative Arts, a consignment house operated by the Historical Society of Talbot County. Silver, linens, and other items are sold, and part of the profits benefit the historical society A 17th-century carved Chinese wedding bed sits in the center of Lanham Merida Antiques and Interiors. Nina Lanham, who operates the business with James Merida, owned a shop in nearby St. Michaels for 20 years before she moved to Easton last year.

"We deal with many decorators. We sell everything from $25 teacups to a $39,000 wedding bed," says James.

Even if you're not in the market for a bed, a stroll through Easton is a restful way to spend a morning. Les Thomas