Ancient Rome, Imperial Period, ca. 2nd to 4th period CE. A sizeable glass flask with a quasi apple-shaped body, a thick tubular neck flaring gently to an in-folded rim. Beyond its elegant form are the stunning aqua blue-green hues and fabulous traces of iridescence casting a golden as well as a colorful rainbow glow to the piece. Size: 3.375" in diameter x 3.875" H (8.6 cm x 9.8 cm)

Widespread from the early Imperial period, glass vessels like this example were mass-produced using the technique of glassblowing; however, they nevertheless show significant variations in shape and color of the glass, making each piece virtually unique. Glassblowing was invented towards the middle of the 1st century BCE in the Syrian-Palestinian region, and eventually spread throughout the Mediterranean basin. This amazing technical innovation transformed the glass industry, because it enabled glassmakers to produce tableware and storage containers in a wider variety - more readily and quickly than ever before. Consequently, glass overtook clay as a raw material for the manufacture of vessels in virtually all arenas of daily life from the late Hellenistic period onward.

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

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#121357

Weathering film inside the vessel with traces on exterior.