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Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: Novaglass on September 15, 2021, 03:12:33 PM

Title: Help identifying ancient? Roman? glass
Post by: Novaglass on September 15, 2021, 03:12:33 PM

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone could possibly help me identify this small glass. I was told that it might be ancient but I'm not 100% sure simply because of the amount of fakes out there.

It measures about 6.5 cm tall.

There is a crack which has been glued back together. There is a pontil mark on the base but I don't think it shows up terribly well on the photos.

Those blue buttons are on either side of the glass.

(https://i.ibb.co/2vhyJcM/IMG-20210915-165714.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/9grR3q7/IMG-20210915-165722.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/bHf6bGV/IMG-20210915-165731.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/XSYDFRx/IMG-20210915-165753.jpg)

Any help/opinions would be welcome.

Thanks for all your help,

Title: Re: Help identifying ancient? Roman? glass
Post by: Paul S. on September 15, 2021, 04:58:40 PM

Hi - sorry, Roman not my area.       Was it the seller than suggested this might be ancient  -  assume you did buy the piece ?           Off the cuff I'd have thought highly unlikely to be from the early part of the first millennium, but I've been wrong before.          I'm not sure Roman glass has pontil marks  -  assume you mean a scar, as in the area where the piece is broken away from the pontil rod?            You're correct of course about copies  -  someone somewhere has copied just about every period and style known to man.
Let's hope we have some Roman glass experts looking in today.

Title: Re: Help identifying ancient? Roman? glass
Post by: NevB on September 16, 2021, 02:51:24 PM

It appears to be in the style of an an old soapstone mortar, but whether it would have been used as such I don't know.

Title: Re: Help identifying ancient? Roman? glass
Post by: Paul S. on September 16, 2021, 03:37:57 PM

perhaps someone has taken the pestle?         IMHO I'd suggest the only question that might be answered is whether or not this is genuinely 1600 - 2000 years bp, and that's unlikely to be settled on the screen, so perhaps the best suggestion is that this one is taken to a museum. :)

Title: Re: Help identifying ancient? Roman? glass
Post by: Novaglass on September 16, 2021, 08:54:05 PM

Hi,

Thanks for your replies.

Yes, apologies, I meant a scar from the pontil (trying to learn the technical vocabulary).

It would be a very small mortar.

The whole glass is one piece, including the stem and foot. It's all glass. Looking at the photos, I know it looks like alabaster or another stone but that's a trick of the light. A lot of that is dirt. There is however that darker stain there.

I might try taking another photo tomorrow with different/better light.

Thanks again,