1930s spindles?

[constantlylactating]

Hello all, we're in the process of redecorating the 1930s house we moved into in August.

There are plenty of lovely features, like wood panelling, fireplaces and decorative ceilings.

I'm just wondering about these spindles on the stairs, do you think they are original? I have tried googling the shape, to no avail.

They certainly look original and if not very sympathetic to a 30s house.

I think they are original. My house was built in 1904 and has the same panelling below the stairs. But my panelling doesn't have the twiddly bits along the edges that yours has and I think your bannisters have been made to match the twiddly bits (technical term!)

1930's house here too. Ours had different spindles but a similar 2, 1 pattern. Certainly the handrail resembles ours. We did originally try and strip ours which was a nightmare because of the shape of the spindles, the amount of coats of gloss paint and the nasty brown varnish stuff underneath all the paint. We also tried paint stripper and gave up, it would have taken forever. We replaced the balustrading and the handrails with a custom design in wrought iron. In case you decide to replace yours and are a DIY person, you need to know that safety wise balustrading on the landing will need to be much taller than the original was.

So lovely, please leave it as is!

No idea but I love them!!

Go away

I think original. I’ve had two houses of that period, both had square/flat shaped banisters and not round/turned like in a Victorian house. You could check with the neighbours perhaps. But I wouldn’t change them.

We will be, but I'm attempting to strip all the paint off I think!

Thanks everyone! Much appreciated 👏

Be aware that although the banister may be in a nice hardwood and designed to look good when stripped and polished, most woodwork of this period was never expected to be bare. Even if it was a wood-effect finish it would have been an artificial finish applied to a cheap pine or similar wood to make it look like hardwood. You might like that stripped pine look, in which case, fine - but just be aware that's what you are likely to get if you strip it.

Noooooo that will be fine, I'll be repainting it, it's just had that many layers on it, the paint is either chipping off in thick chunks or there are huge wrinkles in the dried paint 😂 they must have just slapped it on with their bare hands.

Agree with this. You might be lucky enough to have a lovely oak handrail but the rest will be pine. I have always painted the spindles and oiled the handrail