Maureen, my guess would be that the missing piece was a simple ball. The finial you have looks much too fancy and dainty to me. Something chubby/hefty and acorn shaped could also look good.

Where are you in Maryland? If you're near Baltimore, try Second Chance (3 warehouses!) and Housewerks (close to Second Chance, but a little hard to find). Brass Knob Backdoors Warehouse in DC has a ton of stuff, but sometimes is less organized. If Richmond isn't too far to drive, Caravati's is wonderful. Is the wood heart pine? You may even be able to find something that would match.

Good luck!

Don't rush so fast into thinking that it had a finial...many houses in my neighborhood are from 1900 or a bit later, and many newel posts have lights on top. I agree that the finial on yours is a terrible replacement, but there is a good chance that yours might have had a light fixture.
Check in the basement below where the newel sits--if there is a hole there, then there is a good chance a wire supplied electricity for a light. Mine has a round brass base, with a milk glass shade.
I'll get a pic and post it here tomorrow, if my camera still works.

Hi Arlosmom! I am in south Carroll Co., and do plan to head to the places you mentioned in Baltimore. I am pretty sure I want a ball, but I am kinda liking the way it looks now, (repaired of course, with some sort of cap??) I am looking through web images, trying to find stairs similar to mine.

I should stain it rather than paint it, right? The finial that's there now is almost like balsa wood and has been loose for a long time. The hole has been gouged up so much, I suppose the original ball had a dowel attached that fit? I am not sure how to attach the new ball.

Columbusguy - those newel posts with lights are so cool, but my house is so plain, I doubt it ever had such a feature. (My kids would break it anyway).

The round shadow may have been made by a simple round, not very thick (1-1/18") plate (with smoothly sloping shoulders) then another, smaller button of trim in the center covering the hole (just a few inches in diameter.)That's how mine is.

I have read about (and seen occasionally) a center button made of ivory that was traditionally installed to indicate that a there was no mortgage (back in the day when a mortgage was slightly embarassing thing to have!)

L

Liriodendron - I think you've described what I am looking for. I hope to find one that I can stain to match. I'm sure such a simple piece could easily be made, but I have very few skills.

ok, my 2 cents: you do have a simple house, but so lovely. heres what I have found out while restoring my second old house - wood trim was finished AFTER it was installed in the house. Thas being said, since the exposed circle area is unfinished, whatever was there was wood.

Now, by the 30's the style for newel posts was typically to either finish the top with a heafty square cap, OR a finial. the round caps were pretty much out of fashion by 1910 (at least here in KY)

So, I think youre really set to add a new, round finial of some type, I like arlosmom's sug for a ball or acorn and agree, the simple finish in your home requires something heavier than you first expect - a ball or acorn about the same diameter or a bit smaller than the newel would lok super.

I'm outside of Boston , I can tell you all the houses I have been in it is been round. But , unlike your staircase , up here 95% face the front door. It must be proportional to the post, the diameter is generally the same as the post. Check out Broscoe, they have a stair parts and displays that can get you on the track. No,I do not work for them but they are an old New England co. The house I grew up in, circa 1905, had pieces still listed in their catalogue

How large is the top of the newel post delineated by the faint white line? I got some finials years ago from a place I found in Old House Magazine or Old House Interiors...I will look for the source. I googled and it didn't come up. The ones that did come up in google looked a bit small at first glance.

Here is one source. You have to request a quote but since it is "stock" it may not be so bad.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cinder Whit

Boston Turning Works should have something perfect

Here is a link that might be useful: Boston Turning Works

It is worth going on line to see what is readily available.

You might try http://www.postcapsource.com/
http://www.pagliacco.com/Caps.html
http://www.bevoworks.com/finials-c-71.html

In DC, the Brass Knob Warehouse closed a couple months ago. I do not know what items if any the pricier Brass Knob main store (http://www.thebrassknob.com/index.html) has expanded to include in its product line.

Also in the DC area is the nonprofit salvage yard Community Forklift. You don't know they will have from one visit to the next, but looking is an adventure. E.g., period lighting and medicine chests, good sized pieces of granite and soapstone.

Happy finial-finding.

Here is a link that might be useful: Community Forklist

A ball would be relative easy to make. Measure the diameter of the circle on top of your newel post and that would define the diameter of the ball. You could start with a quarter round, then a flat area, then a cove, then another flat area, then the ball. It would be attached by a peg turned into the bottom the size of the hole in the newel post. If you know somone who has a lathe, and you furnish the wood, it shouldn't be too expensive.

Maureen, that finial looks beautiful!!! It's an enormous improvement over the skimpy white one that was there before.

Did you have fun at the salvage yards? Old house nerds that we are, my husband and I scout them out in any city or town we visit.

Happy holidays!

I like it. If the base still bothers you maybe you could find a round wooden plaque at a craft store that is larger in diameter and put it between the two parts. I think its fine as is, you wouldn't want the ball itself to be bigger I don't think and the base for its height seems correct --the ball is supposed to "balance" on it visually.

Decisiveness AND a great outcome. It looks like it has always been there. Congratulations.

Thank you for the kind comments. Decisiveness and any sort of outcome is better than nothing! I am on a roll! and hope to keep rolling with some other projects. I have tons of painting to do, most of which must wait for the Spring.

Palimpsest - I was having the same thoughts. I was considering adding a piece but don't want to make it any taller. I think I'll leave it alone.

Arlosmom - I had a great time at the salvage yards. Second Chance is always great, but they have really improved over the years. Some of the warehouses used to be scary - I was always fearful I would be crushed in a roof collapse. It is wonderful to know about their job training programs. They seem to be teaching the young men customer service skills too as I was very pleased with the help I received there.

I visited Housewerks for the first time this Fall. It was like a strange dream. After driving thru a desolate part of town, I arrived at that amazing Victorian building with the most strange/beautiful assortment of objects surrounding it. Unbelievable.

I make 67 different newel post finials and furniture finials. If you need one or more send me your email address and I'll send you the pictures and descriptions of all that I make.
mjander@comcast.net

Hello; I have to move. I am taking the whole stairs, and railings and two newel posts and railing on top floor. How do I do it? It looks just like this one. But no top ball/ decoration. Just flat. built 1930. And NO trap door. There are two. One at bottom and one at top Of steps. Bottom sits on floor and step was cut to fit. Top is on top floor (not step). Top floor is cut. The one at top, you can’t see bottom. Maybe after removing steps?. Question is how do I remove all of this without breaking it? I plan on taking to new home. I want to build this home but bigger rooms. It is average. I don’t want to leave. lived here 60 years.

Barbara