Bottle
Unknown Artist
probably 18th–19th century
Medium
Glass; mold blown, tooled on the pontil
Dimensions
H. 5 1/8 in. (13 cm) W. 2 1/4 in. (5.7 cm) Max. Diam. 3 7/8 in. (9.9 cm)
Classification
Glass
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891
Accession Number
91.1.1572
Art Historical Context
This delicate glass bottle, likely from the 18th 19th century, the refined craftsmanship of Islamic art. Standing just over 5 inches tall with a slender profile—2¼ inches wide and up to 3⅞ inches in diameter—it was probably used to hold perfumes, oils, or spices everyday luxuries in Ottoman or Persian households. Such vessels highlight the Islamic world's mastery of glassmaking, a tradition dating back centuries, where translucent forms symbolized purity and abundance. Crafted using mold-blowing and tooling on the pontil, the bottle reveals sophisticated techniques. Glass was blown into a mol...