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

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Small Barrel Bottle 109 (One-handled)  Price £25 each

We do not make Small Barrel Bottles to order - these are individual vessels that are in stock and can be purchased as seen. Base of 109a - click on the image for a larger image. The pontil mark appears as an inner 'ring'. Diameter of base: 5.8cm.   Diameter of body: 6.3cm.

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.

109a: This is a small, one-handled barrel bottle with a simple strap handle. The base has no inscription; only a single concentric circle. It is based on a bottle from Trier, but is reduced to about half its original size.

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