Monday, March 21, 2011

WORD of the DAY: FEUILLE DE CHOU



FEUILLE DE CHOU is a term used to describe a certain kind of tapestry but can also describe export and Chinese armorial porcelain characterized by a stylish motif of lush green/blue overlapping leaves.

It's pronounced (and this is a tough one so practice it a few times before trying to impress your friends & neighbors): "FUR duh SHOE". Sounds like an animal-print Manolo Blahnik, right?
But this is not real "FUR duh SHOE". This is more accurately called "fur ON duh shoe" and lists for about $650 USD the pair.

Feuille de chou is actually French for CABBAGE LEAF and looks like this 16th century Flemish tapestry:
And here's another, same period and also Flemish:
What do these tapestries cost? For ones that are in C. Mariani Antiques condition, $30,000 USD to $125,000 USD each depending on provenance and subject matter (e.g., a pretty bird or a unicorn in the cabbage patch will fetch much more than a horned man-eating monster):

Popular and expensive:

Not so popular but still pretty expensive:


All too fascinating for words, I know. But just when I thought I'd become jaded about even the prettiest feuille de chous, we acquired a show-stopping masterpiece (TODAY, 4/14/11): An incomparable 16th century Sicilian silk ceremonial table carpet, in superb condition, and, yes, priced well above the other feuille de chous but so, so worth it! It makes me want to cry it's so beautiful:

Wow. Sob.

2 comments:

GrannySmithGreen said...

Oh, how I love the fact that I giggle throughout your post and learn something every time! It's great, Buzz!

"fur on duh shoe"--you are killing me!

Unknown said...

Hehe. Thank goodness someone gets my weird sense of humor! Yay.