Ancient Glass

[Phil Anthos]

Perfumes
"I shall scent my skin all over to attract my lovers... It is better for a courtesan to know the Lydian perfumes than the customs of the Peloponnesus".
~ 'Bilitis' (Pierre Louÿs)

My wife collected perfume bottles. Often at coin shows while I was browsing all the numismatic delights she would look for bargain box antiquities, little votives and the like. So it seemed natural for her to combine the two interests and she picked up a few nice ancient glass bottles along the way. I have since donated them to the local university museum. 

Now let's see yours!

Unguentarium

Circa 1st-3rd century AD 10.15cm tall. Roman glass test tube unguentarium, possibly from Syria. Fully intact with a slight blue tint. ~ Peter

Edited September 24, 2023 by Phil Anthos

[DonnaML]

A beautiful specimen!

A couple of my own ancient Roman glass bottles/vases:

Roman, pale blue glass vessel w/squat body & broad neck, inside covered in silver-colored iridescence, ca. 5th Cent. AD. 65 mm H, 48 mm W (at widest point). Purchased 01/08/2018, Helios Gallery, Wiltshire, UK.

Roman, 1st Century AD, blue/purple glass vase with wide folded rim and piriform [pear-shaped] body; surface has areas of vivid violet and blue iridescence. 12.4 cm high, 5.7 cm wide. Purchased Jan. 2021 from Helios Gallery, UK. Ex. Collection of Eric Moussel (1953-2019), Nogent-sur-Marne, France, acquired in Paris.

Dealer's photos:







With my own camera, even though I can see the violet/purple with my eyes in certain light at certain angles, I couldn't capture it in photos. Instead, it looks more dark blue, but that's accurate as well depending on the lighting. I hope you can see why I think it looks like the night sky:







Although I've since moved it, here's what it looked like originally where I kept it in my living room with some other antiquities:

Note the far plainer Roman glass vase on the far left of the bottom shelf in the background.

The blue/purple vase is certainly the most colorful and beautiful of the several ancient Roman glass vases I own, and one of my favorite artifacts overall.

Edited September 24, 2023 by DonnaML

[Phil Anthos]

Oh my, that is stunning either way! And yes it does look celestial. 

Here's a tiny little thing...

Roman Glass Vessel

Circa 4th-5th century AD 5.5cm tall, 4.2cm wide. Nice Roman perfume bottle with flared rim, pinched neck and globular body, probably of Mid-Eastern origin. Fully intact with a pale yellow tint. ~ Peter

Edited September 24, 2023 by Phil Anthos

[Phil Anthos]

Then with fine oil, she smoothed herself, and this, her scented oil, unstoppered in the bronze-floored house of Zeus, cast fragrance over earth and heaven.”
~ Homer (Iliad 14, 142-145)

Candlestick Unguentarium

Circa 1st-3rd Century AD 10.9cm tall. Roman glass candlestick unguentarium with flared rim and flattened base, possibly from Syria. Fully intact with nice mottled green iridescence. ~ Peter

Edited September 24, 2023 by Phil Anthos

[hotwheelsearl]

Phil, nice items but boy that photo resolution leaves much to be desired.

[Phil Anthos]

Yeah I know, those were taken with my old camera which was not up par. This is a link to the Hallie Ford Museum where her collection now resides...

https://willametteart.pastperfectonline.com/search?utf8=✓&search_criteria="Deborah+Hope"+&searchButton=Search&only_images=on

~ Peter 

[thenickelguy]

I really like when you people post ancient artifacts. Beautiful glass. Thank you.