Lot 46
Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 2nd century CE. A stunning, free-blown, semi-translucent aryballos of emerald-green glass with a spherical body, a cylindrical neck, a flattened discoid rim, and a pair of thick applied loops joining neck to shoulder. Threaded through each loop are petite bronze chains comprised of eleven individual links, the end links of which are fastened to the upturned balustrade terminals of a shaped bronze handle. While the bronze elements are coated in brown and green patina, the vessel's verdant coloration is complemented by fiery areas of silvery and rainbow iridescence in hues of amethyst, citrine, sapphire, emerald, topaz, and gold. A fabulous example replete with expert craftsmanship and sophisticated presentation. Lucite display ring for photography purposes only. Size: 3.25" W x 3.625" H (8.3 cm x 9.2 cm); 6.875" H (17.5 cm) with attached bronze handle.
This style of vessel was made for carrying oil to a public bath, part of the ritual of bathing that included rubbing the body with oil mixed with fine sand and then wiping it clean with a long, flat instrument with a sharp edge called a strigil. Many other aryballoi are heavy, but this one has a delicacy that speaks to the skill of the artisan who made it. This vessel was made using the glassblowing technique that revolutionized the glass industry in ancient Rome, taking it from a small, specialized production limited to a few local regions to a huge consumer technology in the mid-first century CE. Where items would once have been made of pottery, suddenly they were made of glass, which became omnipresent in Roman life. Examples of aryballoi like this one with their bronze chains and handles still present are very rare.
A similar example hammered for $10,000 at Christie's, New York Antiquities Auction (sale 12256, April 12, 2016, lot 95): https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/ancient-art-antiquities/a-roman-glass-aryballos-circa-2nd-century-5984843-details.aspx?from=searchresults&intObjectID=5984843&sid=6aee95cc-3813-47db-802f-1e2905d1d8f6
For another similar example, please see The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 17.194.193: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/249437
Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection
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#135430
- Condition: Surface wear and minor abrasions commensurate with age and use as expected, very minor nicks and light roughness to rim, body, and bronze elements, light fading to coloration of vessel, otherwise intact and near-choice. Light earthen deposits across vessel and bronze elements. Great silver and rainbow iridescence across most of vessel. Nice brown and green patina throughout bronze elements.
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| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |