Rome, ca. 1st to 4th century CE. In a word, gorgeous, for its fabulous form, beautiful translucency and green hues, not to mention its superb condition. This vessel presents a near-spherical body with a dimpled bottom showing a nice broken pontil, this globular form leading to an elegantly flared neck that resolves to a thick rolled rim. A lovely example of free-blown ancient glass! Size: 5.25" in diameter x 6.125" H (13.3 cm x 15.6 cm)

Glass blowing was invented in the Roman Empire around the end of the first century CE and revolutionized Roman household life. Suddenly glass was easy to produce, and Roman households rapidly replaced pottery with delicate, translucent glass. A vessel such as this one may have been used to hold olive oil, which the Romans used for everything -- cooking, lighting lamps, and personal hygiene. It has survived the intervening centuries nearly intact and is a beautiful reminder of the Roman past.

Provenance: Ex-Henry & Gretchen Burnett Collection, Santa Barbara, CA

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#120042

Stable v-shaped fissure from neck. Some encrustation.