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Gallery Of Glass For Sale - Roman and Other Ancient Glass - Mould-blown Vessels

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Barrel Bottle 053 (One-handled)  Price £33 each

We do not make Barrel Bottles to order - these are individual vessels that are in stock and can be purchased as seen

These bottles occur from the end of the 1st century AD to the late 4th century AD. One of the earliest is from a grave at Nijmegen, in the Netherlands (c.100AD). They are more common in the 3rd and 4th centuries AD, and are usually green in colour. Barrel bottles are mainly found in France, the Rhineland and Britain, and often have names on the bases. They are frequently called "FRONTINVS" bottles after the name most commonly found on the bases of the vessels. The name is often abbreviated to FRO, FRONT or FRONI, and occur over a wide date range from the first half of the 2nd century AD (a one-handled example from Ourville-en-Caux) to the late 4th century AD (a two-handled example from Colchester). Other names are less common, occupy a much narrower date range, and are followed by the word FECIT (often abbreviated to FE). FELIX is a common example, and this name occurs on bottles dating from the late 1st century AD to the early 2nd century AD. FELIX can probably be interpreted as a maker's name, but it is more difficult to explain the name FRONTINUS, with its two and a half century date range. There is a possibility that it represents a glass making dynasty, the name may have been associated with a popular foodstuff, or it may even have become an accepted part of the base design, having lost its original meaning. Heights vary from 9cm (ref.), 12.9cm (ref.), 18cm (ref.) to 24cm (ref.). The handles may have multiple ribs (as in earlier examples), a few ribs, or no ribs at all (later examples). The lip fold tends to be angled downwards on earlier vessels and horizontal on later examples.

053a: An example of a 3rd-4th centuries AD barrel bottle, with the name FRONTINUS on the base. The body is based on a light green, 23cm tall, two-handled bottle from Trier. (See 054a)

053b: An example of a late 1st-early 2nd century AD barrel bottle, with the inscription FELIX FECIT on the base. The body shape is based on a light green, c.24cm tall, one-handled bottle from Augst. The inscription is taken from a light green, one-handled bottle from Faversham, now in the British Museum.

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