bric-à-brac
In French, for small things that simply sat on a table top or in a cabinet, items that were just for show. Many sorts of objects were classed as bric-a-brac: costly objets d’art, amazing curiosities, singularly beautiful bits. Modern productions, like art pottery and glass were bric-a-brac, but so were antiques, like old Spode, Italian lace, carved jade or Delft tiles. Bric-a-brac was beautiful in and of itself, but it also suggested stories and meaning. Above all, bric-a-brac suggested the discernment and poetic sensibilities of the collector. 2. Pejorative term for Renaissance-Revival buildings based on French precedents and overloaded with busy ornaments. (Kremer, 2023)