22:19 Nov 23, 2011 

I'm sorry, my question was misleading. My question mark was because while I knew the mask was used for balls, costume balls are not the only context. But what I am looking for is to know IF there is indeed an exact English term. Touret de nez is a very specific sort of mask-like thingy, worn at a time when there was considerable connection between the French and English courts; the existence of an English term would not be surprising.

22:11 Nov 23, 2011 

No Phil, I was not too busy to google, but I did not find any indication of this term in English. Perhaps there is not an English term, but many of these terms do have English versions, and it is not at all rare that Internet sources do not give the English term even when it exists, either because the author doesn't know the English, thinks an explanation is more useful than an obscure old term, or whatever.

The French term is not terribly obscure for someone who reads historical fiction or history, so I had no need to google it.

21:52 Nov 23, 2011 

but you can probably leave it in French with an explanation (such as the one in my "reference" below) in brackets.

21:45 Nov 23, 2011 

Allow me (the first hit explains it).
http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q="touret de nez"