Ovoid Bottle with Stylized Grape Pattern

Place of OriginAncient Rome, Probably Syria or inland Palestinian

DateProbably third century

DimensionsH: 5 1/16 in. (12.9 cm);
H body: 3 5/16 in. (8.35 cm);
Diam: 2 5/8 in. (6.7-6.65 cm);
Diam Rim: 1 1/8 in. (2.8-2.6 cm);
Diam Base: 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm)

MediumMedium thin glass.

ClassificationGlass

Credit LineGift of Edward Drummond Libbey

Object number

1923.1077

Not on View

DescriptionTranslucent light olive brown (near 5 Y 5/6). Numerous small to medium vertically elongated linear bubbles in neck. Neck and projecting roll free blown. Body and collar above shoulder blown into a three-part mold of two vertical sections joined to a disk-shaped base section (MCT VII). Vertical mold seams halfway between the leaves. Relief crisp. Pontil mark ca. 1.0 cm. Triangular hollow rim, folded downward and outward, then upward and inward. Tall cylindrical neck, with constriction at its base. Hollow projecting roll above shoulder collar. Ovoid body. Slightly concave base. On the body, stylized pattern of grapes consisting of ten interlocking rows of twenty-one contiguous hemispherical knobs. At the shoulder, opposite each other and centered between the mold seams, small triangular leaves with a central vein. On underside of base, three narrow raised concentric circles (see detail photograph, Roman Mold-blown Glass, p. 191). CLASSIFICATION:: Stylized Grape Bottle, Series A.

Published ReferencesStern, E. Marianne, Roman Mold-blown Glass: the First through Sixth Centuries, "L'Erma" di Bretschneider in Association with the Toledo Museum of Art, Rome, Italy, 1995, cat. no. 120, p. 191-192, colorpl. 19, p. 57.