Greek Core-Formed Glass Amphoriskos

Ancient Greece, Classical Period, ca. 6th to 5th century BCE. A beautiful example of a core-formed glass amphoriskos once used to hold scented oils. The vessel boasts an elegant form with an ovoid body that is finely contoured with vertical ribs, twin trail handles that gracefully join the shoulder to the top of the cylindrical neck, and an everted discoid rim, all upon a small circular base knob.

The decoration of this piece is simply gorgeous, with the cobalt blue body wound with sky blue and golden yellow trails - some threadlike and some bolder - applied in a close-knit feathered pattern. The golden trails continue above the feathering and encircle the neck as well as the outside of the rim. An opulent example of glass-working to be treasured for its sumptuous form, lustrous sheen, fabulous hues, and sophisticated technique.

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 little 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 sandcore 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.

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.

A slightly-larger yet stylistically-similar example hammered for $9,375 at Christie's, New York Antiquities Auction (sale 2007, June 4, 2008, lot 99):