Rare Roman Marbled Blue & White Glass Unguentarium 1st century CE

Technical Description 

An ancient Roman glass unguentarium (perfume bottle), produced sometime between the years 1 - 100 AD. Known as marbled mosaic glass, mosaic is the technique while marbled refers to the pattern. Made from cobalt blue and opaque white glass canes that have been arranged vertically and free-blown, the overlapping of these canes has created a third colour which is of a more transparent cobalt-blue tone. There is also one final differing cane colour of translucent teal blue/green throughout. Marvered and tooled into a piriform-shaped body with a flattened base. Cylindrical neck leading to an everted rim that has been folded inwards in the typical 1st-century Italian style.

Cobalt-blue Roman glass is relatively rare, as are colour-band vessels, this is a lovely eye-catching example.

Date & Origin 

Roman, Early Imperial Period, 1st century CE. Italian Region.

Condition

Natural pitting, weathering, and small patches of iridescence to the surface. A professional fragmentary restoration has been carried out.

Dimensions

Height: 8.5 cm
Diameter: 3cm

Historical Context

David Grose stated in Early Ancient Glass, Toledo Museum, 1989. “This class of bottle is important because it combines free-blowing with pre-formed cast mosaic elements. It also documents the crucial transition from an industry predicated on monochrome and mosaic casting to one based almost exclusively on free and mold-blowing, it marks the beginning of a new Roman industry.”

Documented Examples

Getty Museum: https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/10967E

Elisabeth & Theo Zandbergen Collection: https://ancientglass.wordpress.com/2017/04/06/roman-color-band-bottle-of-elisabeth-and-theo-zandbergen/

MET Museum: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/239780

The Israel Museum, Jerusalem: https://www.imj.org.il/en/collections/228920-0

J. Paul Getty & Corning Museum: https://ancientglass.wordpress.com/2020/07/01/roman-color-band-mosaic-glass-bottles/