Ancient Greece, Hellenistic, ca. 3rd to 1st century BCE. An exquisite core-formed glass amphoriskos (miniature amphora) once used to hold perfumed oil. This near miniature vase boasts an exceptionally elegant form with an ovoid body that is finely contoured with vertical ribs, twin iridescent amber hued trail handles that gracefully join the shoulder to the cylindrical neck and an everted disk rim, and resolves in a rounded bottom. The decoration of this piece is simply breathtaking. Note how the caramel brown body is wound with yellow/peachy beige thread-like trails applied in a feathered pattern. These trails continue above and below the feathered pattern, encircling the neck and rounded foot in tight-knit rings. A divine work of glass art to be treasured for its impeccable form, beautiful hues, and sophisticated technique. Custom, museum-quality stand. Size: 3.25" H (8.3 cm); 3.5" H (8.9 cm) on included custom stand.
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." (https://www.cmog.org/glass-dictionary/core-forming). 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 New York, New York, USA collection; ex private Bavarian collection
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#130850
Condition
Normal surface wear commensurate with age, a couple of small spalls on the body, otherwise excellent. Handles and areas of the body display golden iridescence.