This is probably not the newel post you're going to want in your home. It is interesting to see what designers were doing way back when. The sign in the background says the Herndon House. 
From Wikipedia: "The hotel was originally named for Lieutenant William Lewis Herndon of the U.S. Navy whose exploration of the Amazon River in the early 1850s captivated the United States. Billed as the best hotel in town, it was one of the finest between Chicago, Illinois and San Francisco, California.
The building had more than 100 rooms and featured a fine menu for visitors, including clams and oysters, as well as local game. Image from Saliie Jo's Picasa Acct.