Lot 4799
Rare Quadruple Unguentaria. Roman, 3rd to 5th century AD. Cf. Newark, fig. 184. Height: 4-5/8". This large tube of finely colored green glass is pinched and fused into four adjoining tubes. Each has flared mouths and thin cylinder bodies with slightly bulbous bases, all of which are melded into a larger, curved and rounded base. Encircling the top of the vessel is a trail of dark aqua glass in a zigzag and looped pattern with additional spiraling around the length of the unguentarium. At the mouths appears the remains of a bail handle in dark aqua, that is now missing. Some losses and chips to the trailed glass, otherwise the bottle is quite pristine. Scattered over the piece and mostly on one side, is a speckled dark to bright green and blue iridescence, with additional warm rose and violet colors. An intricate, and eye catching cosmetic container in its time, it remains an unusual and very rare variant to its more mainstream relatives.
Estimated Value $750-UP.
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| Realized $437 |
