Roman, ca. 100 CE. This delicate blue-green glass object has a small bowl and a narrow, tapered straw from one side. Glass blowing technology, developed in the Roman Empire in the 1st century CE, allowed average Roman citizens to replace their pottery homewares with glass. This baby feeder is one example of the new, cheap, easy-to-produce glassware that came to dominate Roman household life. Baby feeders were a common object in Rome, in use when wet nursing wasn't an option or needed to be supplemented. Animal milk would be put into the bowl and the baby would be encouraged to suck it through the straw. Some infants in Roman cemeteries were buried with objects like this one. Beautiful iridescent patina. Custom lucite stand. Size: 3.55" W x 2.65" H (9 cm x 6.7 cm)

Provenance: Ex-NYC collection, Ex Israel collection

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#117769

Professionally repaired and difficult to see. Loss to tip of spout.