Roman Empire, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A very large and lovely free-blown pale green translucent glass vessel which has a concave bottom with a rough pontil, a rounded footed base, a spherical body with thin walls, four large and deep indentations, and a very faint swirling pattern. Rounded shoulders taper to a slightly pinched neck base, and a narrow tubular neck widens to a rolled lip and large mouth. Strong rainbow iridescent highlights are vibrantly displayed on both interior and exterior surfaces. The rarity of this bottle stems from a combination of its size, intact condition, the delicate spiralized design of the body, and the intact and uncompromised body indentations. Size: 3.625" W x 5.75" H (9.2 cm x 14.6 cm)

After the invention of blown glass in the first century CE, glass became easy to mass-produce. However, larger and more intricate glass vessels (like this example) would certainly have fetched a more prodigious price at market and were always a favorite of the societal elites.

Provenance: private New Jersey USA collection, acquired over twenty years ago

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#121342

Heavy mineral and earthen deposits, surface wear indicative of age and use, and some stable fissures, else intact. Iridescence on interior and exterior surfaces.