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LOT 0196
Large Gallo-Roman Mould-Blown Green Glass Flask
1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D.
8 in. (303 grams, 20.6 cm).
Square in plan with rounded shoulder and trumpet-shaped mouth; folded strap handle.
ProvenanceCollection F. Martens Netherlands, 1980s-1990s.
Anonymous sale, Cahn International Auction, Basel, Switzerland, 2010.
Private collection, Europe.
Exhibited at the Harwich Museum, Harwich, Essex, UK, 4th March 2026-7th June 2026; accompanied by a copy of a photograph of the artefacts on display.
LiteratureCf. identical bottle in Istenič, J., Roman Stories from the crossroads, Ljubljana, 2015, p.65 fig.65.
FootnotesGlass blowing was first used in the early 1st century B.C. and became widespread in the 1st century A.D. It simplified and increased the production of glass vessels, reducing their cost and transforming them into a general commodity. In the 1st century A.D., colourful glass vessels were still popular, while glass with a natural, light green colour, such as this, gained popularity in the subsequent centuries.
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AUCTIONS:
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Roman Opaque White Glass Unguentarium
1st-4th century A.D.Estimate: £150 - 200 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £75
Squat in profile with tall, trumpet-style neck and everted rim. 10.4 grams, 41 mm
From a specialist collection of glass, acquired from dealerships during the 1990s. -
Roman Terracotta Bullae, Tesserae or Token Group
3rd century B.C.-1st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £104
A mixed group of ceramic bullae, tesserae or theatre tokens bearing low-relief motifs, mainly consisting of profile busts of deities. 31 grams total, 14-21 mm
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.
The term 'tessera' was used in Roman times to convey the Greek term σύμβολον (token). Small tiles are known as tokens, often shaped like coins, made of metal (copper, lead, iron), clay, bone, wood, or glass, stamped as well as engraved. The tokens, however, are not exclusively coin-shaped, as the Latin term 'tessera' suggests by etymologically referring to a square or at least a four-sided shape and confirmed in several cases by material remains of the past. Tokens and tesserae seem to have been used both in Athens and Rome for the distribution of goods. According to written sources, the term token is identified with credentials of the official authorities. They have also been interpreted as tokens of identity, as entrance tickets to theatre performances, tribunals or assemblies of citizens, archival material of seal engraving, as pawns in games, Charon’s obols and even as amulets. -
Romano-Egyptian Terracotta Figure of a Slave with Fruit Basket
1st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £221
Hollow-formed figure of a servant with grotesque facial features, pointed cap and a short tunic, carrying a pouch in the right hand and shoulders an overflowing fruit basket on the left; a large recess between his legs may be for the insertion of an oversized model phallus; pierced lug to rear of neck for suspension. 286 grams, 17.5 cm
Acquired from Galerie Puhze, Freiburg, between 2002 and 2010. From the collection of R. L., Lower Saxony. Ex Gorny & Mosch, auction 300, Munich, no.75. Accompanied by a certificate from Galerie Günter Puhze and a German export licence.
Grotesque and exaggerated figurines were produced in late Hellenistic times, especially in Alexandria. The artisans, fascinated with realism, started to reproduce scenes and figures from daily life, and seemed to have a preference for emphasis on ill and deformed persons. The characters with caricature features are usually referred to as grotesques.
