Lot 51
Roman, early Imperial Period, ca. 1st century CE. A sturdy bowl shaped from translucent glass of a pale yellow, nearly colorless hue. The elegant vessel features 23 slump-molded ribs that encircle the exterior as well as 3 shallow, wheel-cut grooves inside the basin. The thick walls have developed soft rainbow-hued iridescence within the basin and the exterior with satin patina that imbue the bowl with a sophisticated presentation. Size: 4.3" W x 2.7" H (10.9 cm x 6.9 cm)
Glass blowing, invented in the Roman Middle East in the first century BCE, allowed the average Roman citizen access to glass goods that previously would have been rare and expensive. In fact, glass so totally replaced pottery as a homeware, and became so popular, that one historian estimates that the Roman glassmaking industry from the 1st to 7th centuries must have produced billions of individual items. Most Roman glass wound up broken up and sent to the Roman equivalent of the landfill; it was also common for peddlers to exchange other items for broken glass so it could be reblown or fixed. Almost all of the intact Roman glass that survives today was placed into tombs as grave goods and preserved there for future eyes to see.
Cf. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession numbers 17.194.201 and 81.10.38; also The University of Colorado, catalogue entry 2008.18.2.5
Provenance: ex-Royal Athena Galleries, New York City, New York, USA; ex-Christie's, New York "Antiquities" auction (sale 9540, December 7, 2000, lot 560); ex-Columbus Museum of Art
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#175407
- Condition: Stabilized chip and fissures on foot as shown. Smooth pitting across surfaces commensurate with age, with light micro-bubbling within glass matrix, and light earthen deposits. Great preservation to ribs and overall form. Old museum inventory label reading "1275" on exterior walls and handwritten inventory number in red ink beneath base.
Accepted Forms of Payment:
American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Shipping
Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense
Artemis Fine Arts
You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 26.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.
View full terms and conditions
| 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 |