Glazed Pottery Bowl - AMD.150, Origin: Central Asia, Dimensions: 3.7" (9.4cm) high x 6.7" (17.0cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art, Medium: Glazed Pottery.

Glazed Pottery Bowl - AMD.150, Origin: Central Asia, Dimensions: 3.7" (9.4cm) high x 6.7" (17.0cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art, Medium: Glazed Pottery.   « Less

Glazed Pottery Bowl - AMD.151, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 1100 AD to 1300 AD, Dimensions: 3" (7.6cm) high x 7.3" (18.5cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art, Medium: Glazed  More »

Glazed Pottery Bowl - AMD.151, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 1100 AD to 1300 AD, Dimensions: 3" (7.6cm) high x 7.3" (18.5cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art, Medium: Glazed Pottery.   « Less

Utter simplicity is what endears this small vase to the modern eye, as it must also have pleased the ancient one. The elegant shape perfectly compliments the rare white  More »

Utter simplicity is what endears this small vase to the modern eye, as it must also have pleased the ancient one. The elegant shape perfectly compliments the rare white color, creating a work of art to which nothing need be added. In the contemporary world, it seems, we can still learn much about beauty from the classical age. - (G.0913)   « Less

The passage of centuries has graced this splendid vessel with a glowing iridescence, making it look as if carved from a rare gemstone. The elegant purity of its shape appeals  More »

The passage of centuries has graced this splendid vessel with a glowing iridescence, making it look as if carved from a rare gemstone. The elegant purity of its shape appeals to the modern eye as much as it would have pleased the ancient, proving that classical beauty never goes out of fashion. In the world of terracotta vessels, marble sculpture, and bronze adornment that was the Classical world, no material was prized so much as glass. The material itself was rare, and the process of its forging so laborious, that few artisans took the time necessary to develop the skill. It would have required years of experience for a glass-maker to yield a piece of this quality. This piece demonstrates not only an intimate understanding of the glassmaker’s craft but an equally delicate knowledge of the human form. Feel how perfectly the orb-shaped base fits into your hand. Notice how easily and comfortably your finger curves around the supple spout. When we notice how perfectly suited this vessel is for the human touch, it reminds us that this piece of art was created not only for the sake of beauty, but for utility. Imagine the wonderful existence of the Roman aristocrat who possessed this piece. Every cup he drained, every chair he sat upon, every door-handle he turned was crafted with infinite elegance and complete originality. To turn this piece over in our hands is to transport ourselves into a dimension in which every aspect of the ordinary is laced with incomparable beauty, and meticulous grace. While we enshrine magnificent pieces such as this bit of glass, there was once a time where everything in one’s world was of its quality. To possess it is to delicately hold, for the last time, a shred of a world where opulence, creativity, and the pursuit of the rare and exceptional were once as plentiful as glass is in the modern world. - (G.1002)   « Less

Bamiyan Glazed Bowl - AMD.152, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 1100 AD to 1300 AD, Dimensions: 3.7" (9.4cm) high x 6.2" (15.7cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Bamiyan,  More »

Bamiyan Glazed Bowl - AMD.152, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 1100 AD to 1300 AD, Dimensions: 3.7" (9.4cm) high x 6.2" (15.7cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Bamiyan, Medium: Fritware. These Turquoise glazed molded wares form a distinct group of pottery, unified by their fabric, shapes, techniques of making and decorating and their motifs. These wares are made in molds many examples of which have been excavated at very well preserved sites complete with intact kilns. They show ornament in relief on the interior of small bowls. During the manufacturing process, the bowls were stacked on tripods which left distinctive scars on the inside of the bowls. The center of this bowl is decorated with an enlarged version of the same decoration that is repeated around the body of the bowl. Two inversed “S” shaped scrolls are contained within a circle and separated by a vertical line. The top edge of the bowl is decorated with purple glaze at its mouth.   « Less

Vessels such as this one were produced in the second half of the first century AD, slightly after the appearance of the classic Sidonian vessels.This flask has an everted  More »

Vessels such as this one were produced in the second half of the first century AD, slightly after the appearance of the classic Sidonian vessels.This flask has an everted rim, a cylindrical neck and an ovoid body resting on a flat base. Two handles are drawn upward from the shoulder and attached with a fold just under the rim. The decoration on the body is divided into three horizontal bands: the top and bottom bands consist of vertical ribbings, and the middle band consists of interlacing scrolls.Such vessels were carelessly executed and were produced for a mass market. - (GF.0042)   « Less

Glass has been a prized material for centuries. Although it is not known for certain when man first started making glass, it probably was first produced in Western Asia about  More »

Glass has been a prized material for centuries. Although it is not known for certain when man first started making glass, it probably was first produced in Western Asia about 4000 years ago. A 17th century B.C. site on the Tigris River in ancient Mesopotamia gives us our first written information about glass making techniques. It was there that a tablet was discovered which contained a recipe for a glass glaze. Although the oldest complete glass vessels are found in ancient Egypt, it was the Romans who discovered that glass, when hot, could be blown like a soap bubble on the end of a hollow, metal blowing rod. Thus, the manufacture of glass was instantly revolutionized. For the first time glassmakers could use the unique malleable quality of glass. Soon the material began to be treasured in its own right, rather than as an imitation of other precious substances. This greenish-blue glass flask is a beautiful example of the Roman artists' ability to manipulate this complex medium. Its tall, stately body has a slim, cylindrical neck and wide folded rim, nicely proportioned to complement the rectangular lines of the body. A graceful strap handle is attached to the flask from the neck to the shoulder, adding an element of elegance to this timeless work of art. How fortunate we are that this radiant masterpiece has survived over the centuries, its lustrous beauty stimulating our senses and enhancing our appreciation for the innovative efforts of the ancient Roman craftsman who created it. - (GF.0011)   « Less

This exquisite cosmetic jar was perhaps the possession of a beautiful woman during the Golden Age of Rome. It may have contained some fragrant balm which--as the decoration  More »

This exquisite cosmetic jar was perhaps the possession of a beautiful woman during the Golden Age of Rome. It may have contained some fragrant balm which--as the decoration suggests--smelled of honeysuckle blossoms. Beauty, like the flower, blooms and fades and leaves behind few clues. It could be just our imaginations, of course, but somehow in the presence of this lovely vessel we are able to vividly remember that ancient life... - (GF.0024)   « Less

Nishapur Calligraphic Bowl - AMD.153, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 900 AD to 1000 AD, Dimensions: 3.5" (8.9cm) high x 7.7" (19.6cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art, Style:  More »

Nishapur Calligraphic Bowl - AMD.153, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 900 AD to 1000 AD, Dimensions: 3.5" (8.9cm) high x 7.7" (19.6cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Nishapur Ware, Medium: Buff Earthenware.   « Less

This attractive glass vessel dates to the heyday of glass production in the Mediterranean. It is an unusual shape, a barrel-like, rounded flask with sharply angled base and  More »

This attractive glass vessel dates to the heyday of glass production in the Mediterranean. It is an unusual shape, a barrel-like, rounded flask with sharply angled base and shoulders, the apex giving rise to a graceful slope up to a double- rimmed, straight-lipped mouth. The shoulder and the base of the neck are joined by a twisted handle with relief working on the upper side. The ground is green, with a patina of age that bestows an attractive opalescence. The function of the piece is uncertain, but its size suggests that it is for a consumable – perhaps an alcoholic beverage – rather than makeup or other items associated with unguentaria.   « Less