126. Roman Yellow Glass Unguentarium

C. 1st - 3rd Century A.D.

A perfectly formed pale yellow glass Roman unguentarium vessel, with tubular neck and piriform body, marked by a slight constriction where the neck meets the body. The vessel has a rounded flattened base and a short flaring rim bevelled at a slight angle. Areas of iridescence. Circa. 1st - 3rd Century A.D.

This vessel was hard to photograph in poor November light, the pale yellow colour is best shown in photo six.

Condition: Fine. No chips or cracks.

Dimensions: Height 7cm.

Provenance: From the private collection of the late A.P. Fowler of Wimbledon, London, UK; thence by descent to his grandson and auctioned in 2020. The collection includes hand-written records showing Mr Fowler was in Italy during the early spring of 1951 and visited sites including Pompeii, Herculaneum and Palermo in Sicily.

SOLD

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Roman Glass

Glassblowing developed in the Syro-Palestinian region in the early first century B.C. and came to Rome with craftsmen and slaves after the area's annexation to the Roman world in 64 B.C. The new technology revolutionized the Roman glass industry, stimulating an enormous increase in the range of shapes and designs that could be produced. Glassworker's were no longer bound by the technical restrictions of the casting process. Blowing allowed for unparalleled versatility and speed of manufacture. These advantages spurred an evolution of style, form and experimentation, leading craftsmen to create unique shapes; examples of which include flasks and bottles shaped like human heads, fruits and animals.