An 18th century Hussar hat similar to a tall peak-less Shako or tall Fez and with a long cloth trail or streamer used until in the middle part of Napoleonic Wars . See Totenkopf .
The title of a movement in The Nutcracker Ballet, referring either (in a pun?) to the flute duet in the music or to the reed-pipes (or perhaps eunuch flute?) that the depicted shepherdesses might have played to their flocks. The term is often used to refer to the role of the shepherdess dancer. A further pun might refer to the Marzipan that the dance represents and the almonds used in Mirliton pastries.
A tube-shaped pastry imitative of the shape of a short toy flute (This shape is now more closely associated with a toy siren whistle).
A tartlet or biscuit garnished with Almond , first produced in Rouen around 1800.
A Cabaret opened in 1885 by Aristide Bruant in Paris. The intended pun is that mirliton literally means reed-pipe but is French slang for doggerel. "Vers de mirliton" refers to any bad poetry where its artistic merit has been sacrificed for the sake of getting the verse to rhyme.
A cat comic book character created by the French cartoonists Raymond Macherot and Raoul Cauvin. A character in older French literature named Mirliton would be a clownish Charlatan , much as a mirliton might be dismissed as a pseudomusical instrument.
A series of gold coins make during Louis XV 's reign, or "Louis d’or". (Why mirliton? Maybe:) On the back of coin were palms that are cut at the base diagonally (looking like penne pasta) to display their hollow nature, suggestive that they might be used to make a musical instrument.
A mirliton is a kind of toy pipe which produces harsh musical sounds.
