Spot the Frippet: guilloche.

I chose to feature this word for the beauty of its sound, really: guilloche. It's such a French word, and after all the rain round here I feel in the need of a little continental warmth.

My Collins dictionary tells me to pronounce the word with a hard g: gee-LOSH, but to me gwee-LOSH sounds more French. I expect it's fine, either way.

What is a guilloche? It's a pattern made of interwoven curved lines:


photo by Bloger

It's the sort of thing you see decorating powder compacts, but guilloches are used in architecture, too:


detail of the portone of S Salvatore in lauro. Photo by Anthony Majanlahti

Even if you don't wear face powder, and even if you live in a place where the architecture is all modern, there's one other very common place to find a guilloche. 

Do you know where this pattern is to be found?


Ralf Pfeifer at Wikipedia

Yep. It's on a bank note.

So today is a day to stop and admire your money instead of just spending it.

Most British bank notes are plastic, now. They're a pain once they're creased, but at least they don't dissolve in all the rain.

Spot the Frippet: a guilloche. This word comes from a French tool used in ornamental work. Before that it may come from Guillaume, the French form of the name William.