Featured Interesting piece of glass; what is it and what used for?

I just recently saw a couple of green glass newel post finials, but can't remember where. It was either here or I bumped into them while researching pillar molded stuff. Maybe on WP. They were tres coolio!

 

Hi All! I posted this item for ID nearly 2 years ago. Of course, I still have it.

I'm updating this post because it looks like Mansons was correct. It's a newel post finial! I was watching HGTV, that show called Bargain Mansions where a woman from Kansas City buys big old fabulous houses that are bargains because they need a lot of work which she completes and then sells the house.

There was one of these in an old house she fixed up. It was at the top of a staircase on top of the post. I couldn't believe it. I stopped the program to see it closer before they blew by it. They mentioned it very briefly but kept it in the final design.

Possibly a previous someone tore off a brass base??

Thought you all should know since you worked so hard to help me with this.

 

So are you going to list it on eBay? I will bet someone who is redoing an old house might want or need one.

 

I'm going to keep it for awhile. The thing has me mesmerized! It's just so sparkling that I might have to figure out how to display it.

 

Is your husband handy with making stuff? Maybe a wooden base with a dowel long enough to keep it from falling over but not long enough for it to be noticeable. It would be wonderful if it could sit by a sunny window because the way it is made I bet there would be some rainbows.

 

Not very handy at his age. If I ask him to do any project now, I end up spending most of my time doing it (aka "helping" him). A sunny window would be great but it's the type of glass that would purple. Right now I have it on a display shelf in the FR where people can see it and say, "what's this?"
Now that I know what it is, I can start the hunt for a proper stand.

 

Thanks for the update! I don't think I read this the first time around.

 

Looking at cut bottom and some small air holes in glass, wondered if it could possibly be Murano glass?