Do you recall those childhood rules when everything seemed like a treasure that is hiding somewhere? The process of finding something was always filled with joy, it did not matter if it was searching through the attic or lifting the floorboards. If you have ever lived in an old house you might still remember how exciting it was to discover letters hidden behind skirting boards or even in a drawer of a piece of furniture which had a hidden compartment. The homes we live in can be full of surprises which may come as a shock even to the most experienced builders and that I was to find out when I embarked on the renovation of my 1866 farmhouse.
One day, one year, my daughter and I were sitting in the house during the rain and we started discussing some stories we has heard about treasures that are hidden in houses, particularly newel post which is the bottom piece of the stairs. Willing to take the risk, we tried the concept on our staircase at home. With a slight twist of the cap at the the newel post, a compartment was uncovered; but more importantly, gears!
First of all, we were somewhat surprised. What purpose would gears serve in a newel post especially when the post is brand new? It was as if one is in a detective story where the main character stumbles upon a hidden lever which opens a hidden door or triggers some long-forgotten contraption. This discovery made us sit up and ask questions as well as use our creativity to think about the possibilities that might have occurred in the course of history.
Newel posts have always been significant part of home architecture especially in the 19th century when woodworking and craftsmanship were given high regard. Sometimes these posts were not only functional, but were used as architectonic elements as part of the base of elegant staircases. However, as we were to find out, some were not as simple as they appeared to be and had more to hide.