Trading-stamp furniture, Spencerian flourishes, imitation castles, parsley decorations, notched turnips, oranges and radishes, cheap picture-frames, perfumery bottles, boars’ heads, fishes with tails in their mouths, gingerbread men—all are golobrifactions.
The wedding cake of the millionaire is a golobriboblifaction. Art nouveau would require still another syllable. After all, is there much difference between a valentine and a formal Italian garden?
Her gown it was golobrified
With flounces, tucks and shirrs,
With laces trimmed, with ribbons tied,
With buttons, fringe and furs.
Like unnamed tropic bird her look,—
For, putting Art in action,
Her spouse, a famous pastry cook,
Made that golobrifaction!
Gor´gule, n. 1. An unwished-for gift; an unnecessary, splendiferous object. 2. Elaborate bad taste.
Gor´gu-lous, a. Ornamental, but not useful.
A gorgule is the imitation malachite clock, the fancy brass lamp, the green plush sofa, gorgulous with curves, writhing spirals, tassels, gimp and fringe. (See Diabob.)
A hand-embroidered necktie is a gorgule. So are lacy, frilled, beribboned boudoir-caps, without any boudoir; and fancy smoking jackets; and corset-covers with chiffon roses, theatrical act drops and scenic interiors,—anything too royal for humble use. (See Golobrifaction.)
Most wedding presents are gorgules. “Heavens, I wish someone would break that!” Need one describe the gorgule? A brass-and-onyx prodigy. A celluloid toilet set, in a plush casket, a chandelier of the epoch of 1880, a silver-plated ice-pitcher, or a set of lemonade-tumblers in colored glass. (See Gefoojet.)
Ever receive a loving-cup, grand and gorgulous? Once you were proud of it; now you’re willing to have the children lug it to the seashore and shovel it full of sand. Why did you subscribe for that large folio edition de luxe “Masterpieces of Foreign Art,” a gorgule in nine monstrous volumes—price $85.75?