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A very large and rare ancient Roman twin handled amphora, dating to the late first to early second century A.D.
The vessel free blown and of olive green color. The pear shaped body leading to a cylindrical, flaring neck with two striated, high-flung, thick, angular strap handles attached from the shoulder to the neck. A horizontal trail of glass adorns the neck. The underside of the base slightly upturned.
Vessels of this size seldom appear on the art market. In ancient times pieces such as this would have been used to contain valuable oils/wines. Glass had the advantage of being non-porous and inert, thus being favored over ceramic by the Roman elite.
Height: 11 1/2 inches (29cm).
Condition: Unrestored. Minor stress cracks at the neck on one side, as to be expected with genuine ancient glass.
Provenance: Ex. Collection of His Excellency the late C. Perrone Capano. Capano was a well respected Italian diplomat who served as Consul in Washington and later as Ambassador to Syria. It was in Syria that Capano developed his love of antiquities, acquiring a magnificent collection in the Early to late 1960's.
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