contre-partie

[ French kawntruh-par-tee ]

noun

, Furniture.

1. (in buhlwork) an inlay composed of a design in tortoise shell on a background of brass.

Word History and Origins

Origin of contre-partie¹

< French: counterpart

Example Sentences

That in which the groundwork is brass and the design inlaid is of tortoiseshell, is called counter-boule or contre-partie.

From Project Gutenberg