ROMAN GLASS PATTERN-BLOWN SPRINKLER

PATTERN-BLOWN SPRINKLER of  Hans van Rossum

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Date: 4th century A.D. | Eastern Mediterranean

Size: ↑7.8 cm | ø 6.0 cm (rim) | Weight 70 g

Technique: Body pattern-blown, neck and rim free blown; handles applied; tooled

Condition: Intact and clear, perfect condition

Description: Olive green glass, piriform mold-blown body, heavy collar rim, decorated with six short   handles, applied on the bottom of the collar, drawn up, attached to edge of rim and snapped off. Short cylindrical neck with horizontal disk to form a diaphragm with a central hole to allow only a small droplet to be poured out. Highly indented base with rest of pontil. Body decorated with swirling mold-blown ribs.

Remarks: This chessman looking piece, is rare and even unique. Sid Goldstein said, on October 21, 2015; ‘Your pattern-molded sprinkler flask is quite interesting. Thanks for posting it on the Ancient Glass Blog.

Provenance: With Sasson Ancient Art Ltd., Jerusalem art market, 16 September 2009 Registered at IAA.

Published: Romeins Glas uit particulier bezit, J. van der Groen & H. van Rossum 2011, p. 81 De Oude Flesch, no. 124, 2011, p. 15

Exhibited: Thermenmuseum Heerlen (NL), Romeins Glas, geleend uit particulier bezit, exp. no. 160 29 April – 28 August 2011

References: An identical sprinkler with six handles and the way in which they are applied to the rim is exceedingly rare and no direct parallel in construction and decoration can be cited. Identical sprinklers with two traditional handles are more common. Christie’s London, auction 28 April 2009, lot 24. (Plesch Collection of Ancient Glass) All parallels without decorative handles, applied to the rim.

ROMAN GLASS DOUBLE BALSAMARIUM

AJAM 005 Double balsamarium, 4th – 5th century AD

of
AJAM /Collection of Ancient Glass

Origin

Eastern Mediterranean, Syria, Palestinian.

Size

↑ 11 cm │ ↔ inc handles 4.5 cm │ weight 100 gr.

Technique    

Free blown, applied handles and glass wire. Made from a single piece of liquid glass in which two compartments are pressed vertically from the top with a thin blunt tool. From the bottom, a long thin glass thread is wound around the body to the edge of the mouth. The four handles are folded from the body in a triangle shape and then applied on the edge of the mouth.

Classificatie

Stern 2001: type I, class C-2-a.

Dussart 1998: BXIII.2212 no. 28.

Description

Green transparent glass, double tubular phial with glass wire wound and fitted with Four triangular handles.

Remark

This form of cosmetic bottles originated in the 4th century, exclusively in the eastern Roman territories.

Probably under the influence of the Greek-oriented provinces. This type of balsamarium with multiple

compartments was used for storing fabrics, to make up or protect the eyes against disease and bright sunlight. These bottles were also called kohl bottles, Sometimes bronze scoops have been found with the bottles. During the late Eastern Roman period, these glass objects would grow into sumptuously decorated cosmetic bottles with decimetre-high handles. Probably used as attributes in religious ointment rituals.

Condition

Intact, some small pieces of glass wire are lost.

Provenance

1996, Kunsthandel Aaldering B.V. ( Mr. Bouwman) Amsterdam (NL).

Exhibited

Het Patriciërshuis Dordrecht (NL), Glass through the centuries, exp. No. AAD 011.

1 April – 7 October 2018.

ReferencesFire and Sand, Ancient Glass, the Princeton University Art Museum (USA), A. Antonaras No.429

THE BRONZE SPOON LIQULA

The bronze spoon ligula or cyathiscomele is used to extract the substances from the tubular balsamarii. The two different substances from the separate compartments were probably mixed into a paste. This species of balsamarii has been found in Syria and Palestine with remains of the mineral galena (lead sulfide). This type of mineral was already known to the Babylonians and Egyptians and was called galena by the Romans and used, among other things, as eye shadow. But recent research has shown that it is likely that in the sunny eastern provinces of the Eastern Roman Empire, Galena was ground into an ointment to be applied around the eyes. The ointment has a protective effect against eye infections and bright sun and is insect repellent. Perhaps Roman soldiers in the sun-drenched eastern provinces applied galena ointment under their eyes to protect themselves from the sun’s blinding glare during battle. (Like today’s baseball players draw a dark line under their eyes)

ROMAN GLASS HARVEST BEAKER

NFB 307 HARVEST BEAKER of Nico F. Bijnsdorp

Date/Origin/Dimensions/Weight: First half of the 1st century AD. Eastern Mediterranean, possibly Italian. H: 7.6 cm. D max: 7.2 cm. D rim: 7.2 cm. D base: 6.4 cm. Weight: 64 gr.

Condition: Intact. Excellent preservation. Relief very crisp.

Technique: Blown into a three-part mold with two vertical sections joined to a disc-shaped base section (Stern 1995: MCT VII.B).

Description: Transparent pale green glass. The slightly everted rim cracked-off and ground.  Cylindrical body with straight vertical sides. Flat bottom with broad ring in relief with depressed circular center of 3.7 cm in diameter and small central pushed-in dot. On body four panels with decoration in relief, bordered by encircling horizontal ridges, one below and two above. The panels separated by vertical elongated ellipses. Each panel with the same pattern of two pomegranates, alternating with two ears of barley on each side of a vertical stem. On top of the stem two half circles in relief, forming oval leaves. Two vertical mold seams run down the sides from rim to bottom through two stems.

Acquired: 16 April 2015, Bonhams London, UK.

Remarks (1) This beaker appears to be almost unique: only one parallel could be traced in sales catalogue 27 (2013) of Galerie Günter Puhze, No. 123. (2) The decoration on this beaker could not be found on any of the mold-blown beakers with designs in relief that were very popular in the 1st century AD. Although there are four harvest beakers with a waisted body (see references) that have a decoration on their upper half with ears of barley alternating with pomegranates on each side of a stem, this decoration is in a horizontal frieze around the body, whereas on this beaker the decoration is vertical. Moreover, on waisted beakers the ears of barley and pomegranates are in pairs at the left and right from the stem whereas on this beaker an ear of barley has a pomegranate opposite at the stem and vice versa. The latter feature in combination with the vertical stem is unique. There is also a handful of beakers with straight walls that have the same decoration with ears of barley and pomegranates as on the waisted beakers and thus differ in the same way from this beaker.        

Provenance: The Dr.Athanasios Ghertsos Collection, Zurich, Switzerland, 1970´s.

Published: Bonhams 16 April 2015, No. 107.

References: Galerie Günter Puhze 2013, catalogue 27 “Ancient Art”, No123. Saldern et al. 1974, The Erwin Oppenländer Collection, No. 446. Wight 2011, The J. Paul Getty Museum, p. 86 (ex Oppenländer No. 446). Sotheby’s 4-5 June 1979, The Constable-Maxwell Collection, No. 301 (waisted). Christie’s 26 April 2006, No. 151 (waisted). Sotheby’s 7 July 1994, The Benzian Collection, No. 139, ex Constable-Maxwell, (waisted).  Kunz 1981, Lucerne, German private collection, No. 272 (waisted).

TRANPARENT ROMAN GLASS GRAPE BOTTLE

from
The Windmill Collection of Ancient Glass

Date: 3rd Century A.D. , Size: ↑13.2  cm     Ø  6.7 cm  , Weight: 75 Gr.

Classification: Stern (1995),  MCT VII, Stylized Grape Bottle, Series A Condition: In perfect condition

Description: Yellowish transparent bottle blown into a three-part mold: two vertical ones for the body and one for the bottom. The oval belly has (in a stylized pattern) ten horizontal rows of grapes, the top rows broken on two sides by a rudimentary grape leaf without veins. The vertical mold seam has also been concealed here. Three narrow (higher) circles are made in the flat bottom, a pontil mark is visible in the middle. The cylindrical neck is blown free and slightly pinched at the bottom near the overflowing collar edge of the mold. The top edge is folded outwards, up and then inwards again

Acquired: 8 October 2004 Archeological Center, Jaffa

Provenance: 2004 Mordechai Artzyeli collection Tel-Aviv (Isr.)

Published: 2016 Vind Magazine (nr.23) September, page 26 2004 Archeological Center, Jaffa, auction 33, lot 110

Remark: Since the invention of glass in the centuries before Christ. bottles in the shape of fruit are known, as evidenced by excavations in Cyprus and Egypt, among others. They are mainly bottles in the shape of a pomegranate, a fruit that was popular in the Middle East. This type of fruit (with a large amount of red seeds) was a symbol of passion and fertility in ancient times. From the 1st century onwards, fruit-shaped bottles were popular in the Syrian-Palestinian area. Especially the date and grape.

Refences: Antikenmuseum Berlin (Platz-Horster, nr.64); The Toledo Museum of Art, U.S.A,    coll.nr. 1923.1225.

DISK-FOOTED ROMAN GLASS JUG

DISK-FOOTED JUG from the Collection of Hans van Rossum

Date: 4th century A.D. | Eastern Mediterranean Size: ↑17.0 cm | ø 6.0 cm (foot) | Weight 134 g

Technique: Free blown, handle, foot and coil applied; tooled

Condition: Intact and clear, perfect condition

Description: Clear yellow glass, conical body, sloping shoulder, cylindrical neck. Mouth with trefoil lip, covered with dark green glass coil. Massive angular handle of dark green glass coil, applied to the shoulder, attached to edge of rim, folded in a thumb-rest.  Disk-footed base, rest of pontil.

Provenance: Acquired from the Collection C.A. Hessing, Laren (NL) on the 25 May 1998, coll. no. 15, With Sheppard & Cooper Ltd. London, 1994

Published: Romeins Glas uit particulier bezit, J. van der Groen & H. van Rossum 2011, p. 58

Exhibited: Thermenmuseum Heerlen (NL), Romeins Glas, geleend uit particulier bezit, exp. no. 76, 29 April – 28 August 2011 Museum Simon van Gijn Dordrecht (NL), February 2004

References: Christie’s New York, auction 12 April 2016 lot no. 98, Vetri a Roma, M. Cima & M.A. Tomei 2012 no. 154, RMO Museum Leiden inv. no. J1914/11.2, Sotheby’s New York, auction 13 June 1996 lot 158 (almost an identical shape of the body and a similar foot), Glas der Antike, Kestner Museum Hannover, U. Liepmann 1982 no. 126, Gläser der Antike, Sammlung Oppenländer, A. von Salden & B. Nolte 1974 no. 683, sold in 2003 by his son Gert Oppenländer to the Paul Getty Museum USA

ROMAN GLASS FOOTED JUGLET

FOOTED JUGLET from the Collection of Hans van Rossum

Date: 4th century A.D. | Eastern Mediterranean Size:↑10.8 cm | ø 5.0 cm | Weight 72 g

Technique: Free blown; handle, foot and coil applied; tooled

Classification: Kisa 1908: Band II, nr. 8, p. 317 for the type of the handles

Condition: Intact, perfect condition

Description: Transparent pale amber glass, ovoid body with almost horizontal shoulders. Cylindrical neck, wide mouth, rim folded outward. Base applied and tooled to form a hollow tubular base ring, pontil mark. Handle of turquoise colored glass, applied on the shoulder, drawn up and attached to edge of rim. Coil ring of turquoise glass encircling the neck and underside rim.

Provenance: Acquired from the Collection C.A. Hessing, Laren (NL) on the 26 October 1998 coll. no. 85 With Kunsthandel Aalderink, Amsterdam 1992

References: Christie’s New York, auction 9 December 1999, lot 467, Archaeological Center Tel Aviv, auction 15, 10 October 1995, lot 114

VENETIAN GLASS GOBLET

E-135 of The Allaire Collection

.

This goblet’s design illustrates the resurgence in the late 19^th & 20^th C. of Venetian glass blowing which can be traced back more than a thousand years. This glass is of straw color with bowl of rounded body flaring to 8 straight panels at top.  The base of the bowl here has been decorated with 8 thin aqua trails ending in small knops. The solid stem is attached to those small knops which has a swirled knop that ends in a flattened foot. The technical mastery and innovative styling are hallmarks of Venetian blown glass of the late 1800s.

Date: Late 1800’s -Early 1900’s, Height: 13 cm., Weight: 120 g. Presumably made in Venice by Salviati & Co.

ROMAN GLASS INKWELL

NBB 014 INKWELL of Nico F. Bijnsdorp

Date/Origin/Dimensions/Weight

1st century AD. Eastern Mediterranean, perhaps Syro-Palestinian.

H: 4.8 cm. D max: 5.9 cm. D rim: 5.9 cm. D base: 4.5 cm. Weight: 74 gr.

Condition: Intact. Stress crack underneath handle. Technique: Free blown. Handle applied.

Description: Transparent natural olive green glass. Small cylindrical container with straight walls, tapering downward and with agently domed mouth with circular opening and rounded lip. Cut-out hollowtubular flange at the junction of shoulder and body and another one at the junction of the body and the concave base. Pontil mark. A bifurcated handledropped on the lower body, looped upward and attached to upper body.

Acquired13 December 1995, Christie’s London.

Remarks: In his article “WRITE OR LIGHT? ROMAN GLASS INKWELLS AND LAMPS” Chris Lightfoot discusses the fact that a pyxis is sometimes called a lamp or inkwell. An inkwell would need a domed top with narrow opening for filling, dipping the stylus into the ink and removing excess ink from the stylus. The narrow opening limits the risk of accidental spillage and rapid evaporation of the ink. A lamp would need a second hole or nozzle for the wick. Although a few glass lamps from early Roman times are known, the vast majority was introduced in the late Roman period. Lacking above mentioned requirements for either inkwell or lamp, the vessel is called a (lidded) pyxis, a small jar that contains any number of liquids, creams or salves.

Published

Christie’s 13 December 1995, No. 31.

Exhibited

Thermenmuseum Heerlen (NL), “Romeins glas uit particulier bezit”, 29 April – 28 August 2011. Exhibition No. 220.

References: Wight 2011, The J. Paul Getty Museum, No. 92, Acc. No. 2003.378 (remarks). Arveiller-Dulong & Nenna 2005, The Louvre Museum, No. 752. Saldern et al. 1974, The Erwin Oppenländer Collection, Nos. 571-572 (remarks). Kunina 1997, The Hermitage Collection, No. 382. The J. Paul Getty Museum, Acc. No. 2003.453 (ex Oppenländer No. 725).

ROMAN GLASS POMEGRANATE-SHAPED SPRINKLER

POMEGRANATE-SHAPED SPRINKLER of Hans van Rossum

First half of 4th century A.D. | Eastern Mediterranean, Syria Size↑9.7 cm | ø 6.6 cm | Weight 76 g

Technique: Free blown, pinched ribs and toes; coil applied

Condition: Intact and clear, perfect condition

Description:Transparent pale amber glass, squat globular body with five vertical ribs, made by pinching and topped by tooled knobs. Base with five similar pinched glass ‘toes’, no pontil mark. A broad splayed lip with in-folded rim, beneath with a turquoise transparent trail of glass which was added as a highlight. Like all sprinkler flasks this specimen has a tooled diaphragm with a hole at the base of the neck.

Remark: The pinched ribs and small ring of pinched toes forming the base of these vessels evoke pomegranates, visible by turning them. The popularity of pomegranate-shaped sprinklers may have been inspired by the fruit’s symbolic associations with beauty and fertility.

Provenance: Acquired from the Collection C.A. Hessing, Laren (NL) on the 25 May 1998, coll. number 33 With Kunsthandel Aalderink, Amsterdam, 1993

Published: Antiek Glas, de Kunst van het Vuur, R. van Beek no. 68, ill. 7

Exhibited: Thermenmuseum Heerlen (NL), Romeins Glas, geleend uit particulier bezit, exp. no. 128, 29 April – 28 August 2011 Allard Pierson Museum Amsterdam (NL), de Kunst van het Vuur, exp. no. 68, 17 May – 16 September 2001

References: Vom Luxusobjekt zum Gebrauchs-gefäβ, M. Honroth 2007 La fragilitat en el temps. El vidre a l’antiguitat, T.C. Rossell 2005 no. 89 Roman, Byzantine and Early Medieval Glass – Ernesto Wolf Collection, E.M. Stern 2001 no. 136, Solid Liquid, Fortuna Fine Arts Ltd. 1999 no. 194, Ancient Glass at the Newark Museum, S.H. Auth 1976 no. 149, inv. no. 50.1502

ROMAN GLASS JUG with TREFOIL LIP

AJAM 036 Jug with trefoil lip, 4th century AD

of
AJAM /Collection of Ancient Glass

Origin: Eastern Mediterranean, probably southern Lebanon. Date: 4th centure AD

Size: ↑ 18 cm │Ø max.11.5 cm │ Ø rim  7 cm │ weight 222.72 gr. Technique: Free blown.  

Description: Transparent pale green jug, with spherical body and diabolically flared cylindrical neck. After heating with tools, the top of the neck is shaped into a so-called cloverleaf mouth. A long narrow green-coloured grip is pulled up from the shoulder of the body and folded with a gooseneck bend on the top of the edge of the mouth. As decoration, three vertical ribs are formed in the handle. Glass threads are applied around the neck and mouth edge. The whole is attached to a hollow round foot ring. Pontil mark is present.

Remark: These Roman wine pouring jugs are derived from the classical Greek oinochoe. This particular form of pottery with its characteristic trefoil (trefoil) mouth goes  back to the fifth century BC and experienced a renaissance in Roman fashion.

Condition: Intact, with a small chip from the edge of the mouth.

Provenance: 2003- 2010, Dutch private collection Paul. Cuperus, Laren (NL) No. PEC 073, From the 90s of the twentieth century until 2003 Lebanese private collection Michel. Attar, Beirut.

Exhibited:

Thermenmuseum Heerlen (NL), Roman Glass, borrowed from private collections, exp. No.78.29 April – 28 August 2011. Het Patriciërshuis Dordrecht (NL), Glass through the Ages, exp. No. AAD006. 11 April – 7 October 2018.

Published 2008, A Collection of Roman Glass, Paul E. Cuperus, p. 112, No. PEC 073. 2018, magazine VIND No.30, p. 145. On the occasion of the exhibition Glass through the Ages

​References

Ancient Glass in the Israel Museum, the Eliahu Dobkin collection,Y Israeli,Jerusalem,  No. 202.

Glas von der Antike bis zum Jugendstil, Sammlung Hans Cohn,A. van Saldern, No. 123.