Lot 33A
**First Time At Auction**
Roman, late Imperial Period, ca. 4th century CE. A fabulous free-blown transparent glass vessel of a pale-green, near-colorless appearance with a concave base and a smooth pontil scar, a spherical body with a pronounced kick at the bottom, a collared rim, and a deep interior cavity. A trio of applied blue-green glass dots are presented equidistantly across the midsection of the body, imbuing the vessel with a burst of vibrant color. The elegant fire-polished surface and near-absence of any weathering gives this jar almost the exact same appearance as it had in antiquity. A stunning example of high-quality Roman glassware! Size: 4.425" W x 4.5" H (11.2 cm x 11.4 cm).
Pliny the Elder paid homage to the beauty of the many hues created in hand-blown glass, but pointed out that colorless translucent glass was the most coveted, "There is, furthermore, opaque white glass and others that reproduce the appearance of fluor-spar, blue sapphires or lapis lazuli, and, indeed, glass exists in any color . . . However, the most highly valued glass is colorless and transparent, as closely as possible resembling rock-crystal." (Pliny, Natural History XXXVI.198 from "Solid Liquid" catalogue, Fortuna Fine Arts, New York, 1999, p. 64.)
Published in "Solid Liquid: Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Islamic Glass." Fortuna Fine Arts, Ltd., New York, 1999, p. 112, fig. 202.
Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection
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#137054
- Condition: Some yellowing to small area of rim, and very light roughness across body and base, otherwise intact and near-choice. Light earthen deposits throughout.
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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 | $2,000 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $25,000 |