Condition
Intact; partly covered with iridescent weathering; very few pinprick bubbles; no impurities.
Description
Fire-polished, almost vertical rim; funnel mouth with a tubular flange and a mild constriction at the bottom; globular body; flat, slightly concave bottom. No pontil mark visible on the bottom. Thirteen pinched, vertical ribs are visible from lower body to rim, made before the inflation of the body to its final size.
Comments and Comparanda
This form of jar, with the characteristic flange at mid-height of the neck, is widely distributed in the Syro-Palestinian region, known in examples with globular and ovular body, occasionally decorated with applied threads, indentations, or dip mold–blown or pinched ribs. The flange indicates that these jars were not used for drinking or pouring liquids (Stern, Eva Marianne. 2001. Roman, Byzantine, and Early Medieval Glass, 10 BCE–700 CE: Ernesto Wolf Collection. Ostfildern-Ruit: Hatje Cantz., pp. 150–151). For plain examples, see cat. 314; for ribbed examples, see Barag, Dan. 1970. “Glass Vessels of the Roman and Byzantine Periods in Palestine.” PhD diss. [in Hebrew], Hebrew University, Jerusalem., vol. 2, plate 33, type VI:6-1; Hayes, John W. 1975. Roman and Pre-Roman Glass in the Royal Ontario Museum. Toronto: Royal Ontario Museum., p. 95, no. 327, plate 22; Stern, Eva Marianne. 2001. Roman, Byzantine, and Early Medieval Glass, 10 BCE–700 CE: Ernesto Wolf Collection. Ostfildern-Ruit: Hatje Cantz., p. 229, no. 116; Israeli, Yael. 2003. Ancient Glass in the Israel Museum: The Eliahu Dobkin Collection and Other Gifts. Jerusalem: Israel Museum., p. 238, no. 306.
Provenance
1940, Harry Leonard Simmons [sold, Parke-Bernet Galleries, Inc., New York, April 5, 1940, lot 123, through French and Co. to J. Paul Getty]; 1940–1976, J. Paul Getty, American, 1892–1976, upon his death, held in trust by the estate; 1976–1978, Estate of J. Paul Getty, American, 1892–1976, distributed to the J. Paul Getty Museum, 1978
Bibliography
Paintings by Contemporary Artists: Brackman, Corbino, Philipp, Pushman, Lebduska, and Other Works by an Older Generation of Artists. Other Art Objects from the Collection of H. Leonard Simmons, New York, Sold by His Order: Public Sale, Paintings, April 4–5, 1940, sale cat. New York: Parke-Bernet Galleries., lot 123, ill.
Stothart, Herbert. 1965. A Handbook of the Sculpture in the J. Paul Getty Museum. Malibu: J. Paul Getty Museum., p. 20, no. F-14.
Exhibitions
None