Lot 97E
Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 3rd century CE. A tall, free-blown glass flask with an elegant presentation and a pale sage-green hue. An applied ring base with a pontil mark supports a wide-set conical body which tapers gently to a ring-adorned cylindrical neck and a slightly-flared rim. Dozens of sinuous glass trails compose a repeating motif of tongues and circles across the body and neck, giving it a delicate appearance as well as a pleasing surface texture. The light-green color of the vessel is finely complemented by fiery areas of silvery and rainbow-hued iridescence in hues of sapphire, citrine, emerald, ruby, amethyst, gold, and topaz. Roman glass vessels which exhibit fine trailing details are quite rare, making this a stunning example of Roman glass-blowing artistry! Size: 4" W x 6.25" H (10.2 cm x 15.9 cm).
Pliny the Elder paid homage to the beauty of the many hues created in hand-blown glass, including white, as well as colorless translucent glass, "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.)
For a similar example, please see no. 1061 in V. Arveiller-Dulong and M.-D. Nenna, Les Verres Antiques du Musee du Louvre II.
Provenance: private Davis collection, Houston, Texas, USA; ex-Christie's December 13, 2013 New York Antiquities Auction, lot 60; ex-Sotheby's Antiquities and Islamic Art Auction, New York, December 14, 1993, lot 199
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#132763
- Condition: One stable pressure fissure stretching from the lower neck to midpoint of body. Surface wear commensurate with age and use, light discoloration near base, wear to trail details along neck, and minor roughness to base, otherwise intact and excellent. Nice earthen deposits as well as silvery and rainbow iridescence throughout.
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