Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A stunning unguentarium formed from translucent pale blue glass and presenting a bell-shaped body on a concave base, a form known as "candlestick," with a tall tubular neck that terminates in a flaring mouth and rolled rim. The invention of glass blowing techniques occurred just as the Roman Empire was on the rise, making it possible for the glass industry to truly blossom among the ancient Romans. Size: 3.3" in diameter x 6.3" H (8.4 cm x 16 cm)

Note Pliny's poetic homage to translucent hand-blown 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)

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-George Greenblatt collection, New York City, New York, USA, acquired in the 1960s, thence by descent to his widow, B.D.

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#166782

Faint pontil mark on base. Pontil mark on underside of base. A pontil scar or mark indicates that a vessel was free-blown, while the absence of such a mark suggests that the work was either mold-blown or that the mark was intentionally smoothed away or wore away over time. Intact and excellent with weathering film on interior and shimmering iridescence in some areas.