Newel post caps and finials: The finishing touch
CBSN
Staircases are more than just a way to get from one floor to the next. "A staircase is a stage," said Sam Cochran, global features director at Architectural Digest. "It's an opportunity for ceremony. Think about prom, as people descend the steps in their regalia."
And a staircase played a symbolic role in a Christmas classic starring Jimmy Stewart. "There's a famous scene in 'It's a Wonderful Life,' where George Bailey ascends the staircase and grabs the newel cap and it comes off. And that is a sign of him being down on his luck."
Yes, that thing that George Bailey pulls loose is called a newel cap (sometimes called a newel finial if it's especially ornate). "They're everywhere you look," said Cochran. "They're outside on the streets, they're in public institutions like libraries and museums."
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