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Roman glass inkwell

€700
available
Object number
AR3490-08
Object: Roman glass inkwell

Material: Bright green glass.

Period: 1st century AD to 2nd century AD.
Roman Imperial period.

Description:    Low, cylindrical vessel made of thick-walled glass. The walls are slightly curved outwards. On top a cover that protrudes at the edge and rises in a cone shape towards the middle. There, a small hole.
The vessel is an ancient inkwell. The stylus could be wiped off the inner edge of the cover after being dipped in the ink. The cover also prevented the inkwell from spilling over.

Dimensions: 3.7cm height. 6.0cm diameter.

Condition: Perfect condition. Completely intact, with attractive find patina.

Provenance: Acquired by us in 2023 from the German Heckmann family collection. The founder Peter Heckmann acquired the glass collection in the 1970s on the German art market.

References: Cf. D. Whitehouse, Roman Glass in The Corning Museum of Glass, Volume One, p. 199, no. 347.
For a later example of a different style, see Y. Israeli, Ancient Glass in the Israel Museum, p. 345, no. 452.
For inkwells on the art market,
see Christie's London auction 13 December 1995, lot 31 (sold for 1,840 GBP, equivalent to approx. 2,000 EUR at the time),
see Christie's New York auction 3 June 1999, lot 118 (sold for the curious and unexpected price of 29,900 USD, equivalent to approx. 27,000 EUR at the time).

Authenticity: We unconditionally guarantee the authenticity of every artefact, all items are subject to our lifetime return policy on authenticity.