Illustrated Architecture Dictionary.......... Illustrated FURNITURE Glossary
Trefoil
TREE foil, tref oil
Illustrated Architecture Dictionary.......... Illustrated FURNITURE Glossary
Trefoil
TREE foil, tref oil
Architecture
A three-lobed circle or arch formed by cusping
Used in windows and arches
In French, "foil" means "leaf." The number of foils involved is indicated by a prefix, e.g. trefoil, quatrefoil, cinquefoil, sexfoil, multifoil
Found in Gothic Revival, Tudor Revival styles
FurnitureAn architectural term for an arrangement of three interconnecting arcs; at each intersection there is a cusp.
In furniture the motif (pattern) was often applied to pierced arches and trefoil feet.
Examples from Buffalo:
- Illustration above: St. Louis RC Church
- Thomas Crane Monument
- Hotel Touraine
- St. Mary of Sorrows / King Urban Life Center
- 295 Depew Ave.
- St. Teresa RC Church
- Buffalo Seminary
- Minot Tanner House Balustrade
- Furniture: Splat, Boston Chippendale side chair - Winterthur Museum
