Collecting habit: Tassels

French silk tassels, left is 18th century with chipped gilt header, the right 17th century

I thought I would show you one of the items I collect and being an antique textile dealer with a love of anything European this item was a natural for me, the tassel. Textiles sometimes come to me bearing only one tassel the other long lost through the ages. Since items look lopsided with only one tassel attached it wasn’t long before I had a collection.

Tassels have a long and varied history, Jesus had tassels called Tzitzit, like the one above, on the four corners of his garment or shawl. While Charles X, King of France, 1824-30, wore tassels as an embellishment. 

Array of 18th and 19th century silk and metal tassels

Who could resist them with their pure silk and metal thread that has been turned, trimmed and knotted onto gilt wooden headers. Amass they can really make a decorative statement!

18th century French wool tapestry pillow

It wasn’t long before anything depicting a tassel was catching my eye. Tassels have been woven into tapestries..... (love this orange!)

carved from wood………

French, 19th century silk trimmings

used as trimmings....

used as art work, my tassel board holding assorted tassels within an antique frame.

17th century French tassels

Most of these elaborate artistic tassels can be assumed to be French since the French widely exported their trimmings and tassels known as “Passementerie” at a very low cost that no other nation ever developed a “trimmings” industry. Both American and European artists, who charge up to $1000 for a single handmade tassel, are now copying antique tassels.

18th century French silk trims

My tassel habit became so bad I needed more of a fix that led me to fringes! Fringes with silk, fringes with metal thread, and of course fringes with tassels!

French 16th, 17th and 18th century tassels

The quintessential piece of artwork!

L' Art de la Passementerie here

Two wonderful books, written in French, all about the art of trimmings.

La Passementerie here

Now it's your turn, what do you collect?