What's that on you Volute

Truly incredible volute that wraps around past 360 and with a crazy finial on top. Even the volute post is a crazy size and design. The whole complete look of the entry is focused on the stair and handrail and its overall size and grace.

Close up of the volute in all its glory, It's just a work of art.The finial adds a great detail to the top of the volute. Not really my taste, but I think it works in this case.

A view looking up the staircase and of the massive turned newel posts , including "Saddleback" drop easings on the level balcony sections. I think the stair brackets and also the fact they are continued across the level areas makes it even more interesting.

A side view of the stairs and the massive turned newel posts. The detailing of the balusters can also be appreciated.

Full Stain

A very traditional handrail system, featuring a Twisted Rail Cap on top of a Large turned newel post, nice to see something other then a octagon newel post. Baluster are a little different same size balusters front and back and the top pin is cut to fit.

A nice "Waterfall" Twist fitting drops down from the 2nd floor hallway through the winders and down to the starting newel post at the bottom.

Pedestal Newel Posts

Very unique Octagon newel posts with very traditional column carvings and pedestal type look to me.The heavy handrail adds to to the grandness of the whole handrail system, and the Twisted quarter turn fitting is a nice transition into the newel post.

The wall rail detail is very interesting as it wraps the corner and ends into the starting newel post. The fluted columns have the same "volute" carving detail as the staircase newel posts. I really like the size and profile of the handrail.

Square Turned Balusters

Great view looking down the 2nd to 3rd floor landing as the handrail twists and turns its way down to finally ending as a twisted rail cap . On the left you can see an example of a square turned baluster.

A large diameter cylinder allows for a graceful transition from stair handrail to level return handrail along the 2nd floor hallway.

The squared turned balusters are just such a unique look, the starting posts looks to be very ornate in detailing, the small amount of curve treads at the bottom of the stair adds such a great detail to the look of the staircase.

Nice close up of one of the 180 transition turns, I always like to see where the joints are positioned.

Nice Foyer

Really like the look of this handrail system, combination Twisted Turnout to level returns, very well thought out design. The craftsmanship looks flawless.

Here's a close up of the starting fittings, just a clean well done twist, I'm really liking the design. The square rail cap on the blocktop post was pretty common during this period, never see it any more.

Lamp

                What a killer starting twist fitting, wraps around into the newel posts, Who comes up with this stuff. The glass lamps most have top of the line back in the day. The stair brackets on the stairs are a really neat design.

Starting Posts

Real nice updated and refinished Paneled Octagon newel post with contrasting stain color to the stairs. Very detailed stair brackets can also be seen on the side of the stairs add to the overall look of the staircase

Nice original looking Paneled Octagon newel post starts this steep and twisted handrail, featuring winders top and bottom. Very detailed stair brackets complete the look of this very period designed staircase.

This square newel post is a first for me, I haven't seen this detail or style before. The handrail is big and wide and is just incredible up through the 180 Twist transition at the turn to the upper staircase.

Beautiful refinished box post with a lot of great detailing leads up the stair to a intense "Waterfall Twist" coming down from the 2nd floor hallway.

A close up example of a Beaded Panel Octagon newel post also featuring a real nice Twisted Rail Cap on top of the newel post. This handrail profile is commonly referred to as "Toad Back" and was by far the most popular and widely used of the period,

This step and tight staircase features a handrail that seem to fall down and levels out right too thr Twisted Rail Cap. Good example of a paneled octagon newel post is used for the starting post.

Crazy Twisted Volute

Here a view from the backside and you see the crazy stair design results in a incredible volute and twisting handrail, I think it has to be a conversation piece as you come into the house.

 This is a really interesting stair design, I'm also amazed how someone would come up with a design like this, it has to be from years of experience taking design to the extremes, or trying to create a piece of art and not just a way to get up and down a set of stairs safetly

Awesome Stair Design

Here is another example a stair designed to create a breathe taking handrail. The layout is a very basic and common that is seen in many homes around the country, but by adding a curved section at the bottom and bringing it 90 degrees to the foyer hallway makes it a very inviting staircase. 

Looking down the handrail one can see how the handrail falls sharply down through the lower curved section of the stair, you can also see how the balusters follow the falling line of the bottom of the handrail. Square Rail Caps and Saddleback upeasings complete the upper balcony area with a ver unique clipped radius corner

This view shows just how much detail this handrail system has designed into it. The balusters alone are a very complicated design and take a lot of effort to come up with a design with compromised areas. Taking notice of the Saddleback upeasings I notice how there is a long straight section on the upeasing.... I wonder how that is machined?

Chunky Handrail

Great old Octagon newel post, a little different style then we are used to seeing with the octagon upper section for the handrail to die into. But a lot of great detail and carving work done to the post. I think the inset panels also have a burl veneer apply to there face.

I'm still trying figure out what this design period or style is called, I've seen a bunch of times and have not found it referred to as any special but I think it has a unique look for the period.

  A lot of unique carvings done on the face of these newel posts, I'm not sure if it represents something or are symbols?

Gas Lamp

Here is a first for me a picture of a octagon rail cap and octagon turnings thats incredibly hard to make. The gas lamp adds to the overall look of the newel posts. It had to be the coolest thing to install and stand back and fire up the lamp. The newel post also an interesting hollow plow detail down the face of the octagon panels.

Now that's a "Rail Cap" with just the smallest amount of twist.

Damn display case is in the way to see the rest of the twist fittings.

Great view from behind

Just a lot of cool details and awesome handrail...

Square Rail Caps

This is great example that staircase doesn't have to be big and grand, that a good design and selection of parts can make any stair look great. The square Twisted Rail Cap and the remaining square rail caps add a lot of class to the entire staircase.

How far should we drop the posts? How about to the floor..... Someone was trying to make a statement. The overall look is very formal, but the design is very clean and uncluttered.

Stair Brackets

Great close up of a 180 Transition as it twists and turns through the landing . I like this profile baluster, they must have been produced by a big parts manufacture because there are used fairly often in our area. The stair bracket is a design I have never seen been, it has nice clean lines.

Nice "Twisted Rail Cap" on top of a beautiful octagon newel posts, the balusters appear to be the same profile as the ones used in the picture above

                             I'm not sure what this period of design is called, but a lot of heavy trim and angle corners are used to make bold a statement. The rake handrail uses a twisted upeasing to make its way out of the newel posts and up the stairs, the landing features a incredible twist fitting as it
transitions to the upper stair.

Twisted

Looking out to another octagon newel post and a tight Twisted Rail Cap as it runs up the stairs

The stair brackets on this are very standard for the times, I often wonder if they were purchased or just the style at the time, I really like the look.

Good close of the stair brackets and the balusters, a very nice clean look

A look down the hallway balcony handrails it transitions into the turn to make its way down the stairs

I'm sure the drop in the turn is so high, but it has a nice smooth flow around the 180 turn.

     This shows  the reason, as the turn starts one tread down the stair thus adding a extra rise into the turn, this also helps to add some extra length to the fall of the handrail at the turn.