Greek Hellenistic Core Formed Glass Amphoriskos

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Exceptional Antiquities, Asian, Ethnographic

By Artemis Gallery

Feb 18, 2021

Set Reminder 2021-02-18 10:00:00 2021-02-18 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities, Asian, Ethnographic https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-asian-ethnographic-6373
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• Lot Description
  Ancient Greece, Hellenistic Period, ca. 3rd to 1st century BCE. A lovely example of a core-formed glass amphoriskos, a miniature amphora, with gorgeous polychrome hues. The body is a piriform shape with a petite, knob-shaped foot. A cylindrical neck supports a folded rim and traces of the flanking trail handles that once adorned the sides. The exterior surfaces are enveloped in stunning scarlet, white, yellow, and turquoise hues with spiraling rings coursing around the neck, shoulder, and lower body. The central body boasts a register of feathery and chevron shaped waves. This vessel was used to hold fragrant oil and was a precious piece of glassware and a luxury item that would have been made for the elites of ancient society. Size: 2.07" W x 6.25" H (5.3 cm x 15.9 cm); 7" H (17.8 cm) on included custom stand.
  
  The Greeks created core-formed or sandcore vessels by trailing threads of molten glass over a "core" of sand or clay to form the vessel. These threads were oftentimes feathered or dragged to create intriguing decorative patterns. The term amphoriskos literally means "little amphora" and is indeed a miniature amphora. This shape was quite popular as it was ideal to store precious oils, perfumes, or cosmetics.
  
  According to the Corning Museum of Glass, core forming is "the technique of forming a vessel by winding or gathering molten glass around a core supported by a rod. After forming, the object is removed from the rod and annealed. After annealing, the core is removed by scraping." This process of glass making was begun in the late 16th century BCE by glassmakers of Mesopotamia, and then adopted by Egyptian glassmakers in the 15th century BCE. The technique almost came to an end in the so-called Dark Ages of Mediterranean civilization (1200 to 900 BCE); however, by the 9th century BCE a new generation of glassmakers took up the technique once again, and between the 6th and 4th century BCE core-forming spread throughout the Mediterranean.
  
  Provenance: private California, USA Collection acquired in the 1990's
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
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  #135125

  Condition

  Professionally repaired from multiple small pieces with areas of in-fill on the neck and shoulders. Missing the handles. Heavy mineral deposits on exterior and interior and great colors!
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