France dominated the art of the tassel in the 17th century. One tassel was often composed of up to six carved and covered wooden forms in a flat, faceted, dome or pear shape. These tassels incorporated ornaments and several different varieties of fringe, including inch, gimp, trellis, butterfly, tufted and swagged. Even a simple French tassel during this time had at least 300 threads. This beautiful Nobilis-Fontan tassel would have found a home in any 17th-century sitting room.
