objet de vertu

From French objet + de + variant form of English virtu, after e.g. English objet d'art, from French objet d’art.

The term objet de vertu does not exist in French.

objet de vertu (plural objets de vertu)

1. An object of particular interest for reasons of history, workmanship etc.
   • 1974, Lawrence Durrell, Monsieur, Faber & Faber, published 1992, page 260:

     We impotents are great collectors of objets de vertu, snuffboxes, musical boxes, knick-knacks.