Description:

**First Time At Auction**

Rome, Imperial Period, ca. 100 to 300 CE. This is a pair of small blown glass Roman unguentaria; one square shaped with a flared neck; the other elongated piriform with a distinctive rim. The square shaped one has a beautiful brown, gold, white, and iridescent patina. These bottles would have been used to transport and preserve unguents and cosmetics; their narrow necks prevented evaporation. The use of perfumes and cosmetics were so widespread in Roman society that encyclopedist Pliny the Elder and the satirist Martial, both writing in the 1st century CE, bemoaned and ridiculed the habits of Roman citizens for smothering the hair and body in the costly scented oils. Unguentaria like these would have been used daily in the household and probably buried with their owners. Size: .75" W x 3.25" H (1.9 cm x 8.3 cm)

Provenance: Ex-private Bates collection, Clarksville, IA, ex-Joel Malter Collection, acquired before 1990

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#110684

  • Condition: Both are intact; one has slight patina, and one has an incredible swirling patina.

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January 30, 2017 10:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
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 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000