Roman Empire, Imperial period, ca. 2nd to 4th century CE. A tall glass unguent, free-blown from translucent glass, with a bell-shaped base tapering to a very long neck, and a wide rim with a folded lip. A thin layer of weathering film covers the majority of the neck and rim and about one third of the base. A lovely example of Roman glass artistry! Size: 8.625" H (21.9 cm)

Pliny the Elder paid homage to the beauty of the many hues created in hand-blown glass, but pointed out that colorless translucent glass was the most coveted, "There is, furthermore, opaque white glass and others that reproduce the appearance of fluor-spar, blue sapphires or lapis lazuli, and, indeed, glass exists in any color . . . However, the most highly valued glass is colorless and transparent, as closely as possible resembling rock-crystal." (Pliny, Natural History XXXVI.198 from "Solid Liquid" catalogue, Fortuna Fine Arts, New York, 1999, p. 64.)

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

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#135467

Areas of weathering film, earthen and mineral deposits, and wonderful translucency as shown!