Roman Glass Vessel - Beautiful in Blue / White Swirl

Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st century CE. As the song goes, "Am I blue?" Well I am not, but this lovely glass vessel certainly is! A fabulous cast and blown mosaic flask comprised of canes of white and blue - periwinkle, aqua, azure, sky blue and more. The vessel presents a spherical body with a dimpled, concave bottom, a tubular neck, and a flared lip. Note how the mosaic canes were artfully marvered into the surface to create elegant swags of milky white and blue ribbon-like patterns throughout the body, shoulders, and neck. Then the artisan inflated the form, thus amplifying this effect to add to the drama of the decorative program. Much like gold-band glass, such vessels created by using various canes of glass are called "color-band" or "marbled glass". A wonderful example of ancient Roman glass with a color palette and swirling pattern that conjures images of the morning sky! Size: 2.125" in diameter x 2.875" H (5.4 cm x 7.3 cm)

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-Martin J. Wunsch collection, New York, USA, acquired in the 1980s

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#147868
Condition Report: Pressure cracks or possibly a small area of repair to the shoulder (no restoration). A couple of nearly invisible popped bubbles on the surface. Scattered earthen deposits. Sparkly rainbow iridescence at the mouth of the piece.