Ancient Roman Glass

Hello,
I have this ancient roman glass and I would like to know the price of it.
Height 20/9 cm
thanks, my regards.

 

Value depends on where you are and where you want to sell it.

If this is truly Ancient Roman glass, the best thing you can do it take it to a museum that specializes in that subject and have it authenticated.

 

Totally agree.

 

Welcome Winas.

Another vote for a museum authentication.
Any price depends on age, condition, desirability, provenance/reliable authentication, and how and where you will be selling it.

For those who don't or can't click on thumbnails:

 

It's an unguent bottle, or trying to be. That rim and lip aren't right - far too thick and too see through, as well. Looks like a much later copy which has been buried for a while. It may well still be Victorian though, many of these were Grand Tour souvenirs.

They're not actually that expensive to buy, when the real thing.

 

Hello, Kris. If you are unable to start a thread of your own, the problem may be that your account is not yet confirmed. Have you received an email from the site admin saying that you need to reply to that email in order to confirm your account?

 

Welcome Kris.

It looks like a Roman glass cinerary (cremation) urn, but I think it is a copy. Very nice though. Is there anywhere near you where you can have it authenticated?

 

My gut feel is that it's a decent copy, perhaps itself of some age. It looks too perfect in terms of condition, for one thing. The other point is that the handles are sloppy. No self respecting Roman craftsman would have let that pass.

 

Over the last few years, China has exported shiploads of both of this types of glass. Old Roman Glass is quite thin.

 

I don't study Roman glass or learn about it any systematic way, but end up seeing a fair bit of it in the course of researching the things that do interest me. This doesn't look right to me in any way. First, easy, cheap thing you can do is search through the vast on line resources of the Met & British Museums and the Corning Museum of Glass, looking at everything that meets the general description of your piece. ('Applied handles' is one search term you are going to use.) Have had lovely help over time from all three institutions, although thin staffing can mean it takes a while. CMOG in particular entertains questions from the public concerning items other than the museum's own:

https://www.cmog.org/glass-questions

 

Good point on the thickness of the glass. It's also being made on Murano and by people like LaFiore on Mallorca.

 

Too perfect in condition; too imperfect in form. 'Crude' & 'ancient' are not synonymous, although forgers & sellers sometimes seem to think so. Like OBB, I can't imagine any Roman glass workshop capable of producing that body having allowed the finished piece onto the market with those drastically asymmetrical handles. Archeologists find piles of rejects at ancient glass work factories.

 

In French, "Balsamaire" see the sold price of this one, 60€:
http://www.monnaiesdantan.com/vso22/romain-balsamaire-verre-irise-p284.htm


and a lot of two, estimated 180/200€...
https://www.binocheetgiquello.com/lot/13891/2539385

 

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/ite...ium=web&utm_campaign=LotArt2019A#&gid=1&pid=1

 

And look at the differences.....

 

http://www.christies.com/features/Roman-glass-an-expert-introduction-7512-3.aspx

 

Interesting discussion... another learning experience this morning.