Large Greek Core Form Glass Amphoriskos

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Exceptional Day 1: Antiquities Asian Fine Art...

By Artemis Gallery

May 22, 2019

Set Reminder 2019-05-22 10:00:00 2019-05-22 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Exceptional Day 1: Antiquities Asian Fine Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-day-1-antiquities-asian-fine-art-4129
Day 1 of an important 2-day auction featuring exceptional art from around the world - Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan, Roman, Viking, Russian, Near Eastern; Asian Art from China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, India; Fine Art from the 17th century to present. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com

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• Lot Description
  Ancient Greece, ca. 3rd to 1st century BCE. A very early example of a core-formed glass amphoriskos once used to hold perfumed oil. This larger than usual amphoriskos boasts an exceptionally elegant form with a piriform body and twin applied trailed handles of translucent yellow-green glass that gracefully join the shoulder to the splayed rim, all upon a rounded bottom, with an applied decorative translucent yellow-green drop-shaped ornament below. The decoration of this piece is simply breathtaking. Note how the deep blue body is wound with tangerine orange and white thread-like trails applied in a close-knit zigzag or feathered pattern around the center with horizontal trails below and above, and lightly festooned bands around the neck extending to the rim. A divine work of glass art to be treasured for its impeccable form, beautiful hues, sophisticated technique, and wonderful traces of rainbow iridescence adorning the rim, neck, and handles. Size: 5.625" H (14.3 cm); 6.125" H (15.6 cm) on included custom stand.
  
  A vessel like this would have been made for the elites of ancient society. Its owner would have used a stopper to keep the contents inside, and a glass rod to dip into the vessel's perfumed oils and dab on the throat or wrists. The handles made it possible to suspend the vessel, and we know from Athenian vase paintings that vessels like these could be worn off a belt at the waist or suspended from the wrist.
  
  The Greeks created core-formed or sand core 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." (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.
  
  For similar vessels, though some of a different color, Cf. Hermitage, no. 38, pp. 253-254; Pittsburgh, no. 14, p. 42; Kofler-Truniger, no. 292, p. 151; Monsieru D., no. 50, p. 20.
  
  For further reading about core-formed glass vessels, read Associate Curator, Greek and Roman Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art C.S. Lightfoot's "The Pendant Possibilities of Core-Formed Glass Bottles" - https://www.metmuseum.org/pubs/journals/1/pdf/1513055.pdf.bannered.pdf
  
  Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-Martin J. Wunsch collection, New York, USA, 1980s
  
  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.
  
  We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
  
  #146564

  Condition

  Small loss to the drop-shaped ornament applied at the lower end. Rim and handles possibly reattached. Expected surface wear with some pitting commensurate with age. Nice areas of rainbow iridescence on rim and handles especially.
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