Beaker

CulturePersian
Titles
  • Beaker
Datec. 9th–10th century
MediumGlass; blown, layered, and tooled, and relief cut (cameo technique)
Dimensions3 3/16 × 3 in. diameter (8.1 × 7.6 cm)
Credit LineMuseum purchase
Object number70.104
Current Location
The Caroline Wiess Law Building
113 Islamic Art Gallery
Exposé

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Object Type
DescriptionIslamic artisans inherited glassmaking techniques and decorative repertoires developed by the Romans, Byzantines, and Sasanians. The MFAH glass objects on view exemplify some of the principal techniques and decorative innovations of early Islamic glassmakers. Mold-blown glass introduces inflated glass into a mold of wood or baked clay, carved with patterns in negative.Marvered glass is created by rolling molten glass against a marver, a strong flat surface containing glass pieces or trails. This allows colored glass pieces to adhere to the surface in intricate patterns. Cameo glass results from layering glass of different colors and carving it deeply enough so that the contrast color forms the design. Enameled glass is painted with vitreous enamel, or powdered glass, then fired to fuse different colors and designs.
ProvenanceRay Winfield Smith, Houston; purchased by MFAH, 1970.

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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Beaker
13th century
Glass; blown, tooled, enameled, gilded, and worked on the pontil
70.110
Perfume sprinkler (qumqum)
13th century
Glass; blown, marvered, applied, tooled and worked on the pontil
70.108
Bottle
11th–12th century
Glass; blown, tooled, and applied
70.109
Bottle
12th–13th century
Glass; mold blown, tooled, and worked on the pontil
70.107
Bottle
11th–12th century
Glass; blown, tooled, applied, and worked on the pontil
70.106
Bottle
9th–10th century
Glass; blown, tooled, incised, and worked on the pontil
70.105
Overall.
Samuel Gassman
2023
Tiara: Iron, platinum, enamel on copper, 19th century neoclassical helmet shell cameos, pink conch shell cameo, 19th century malachite cameo, 19th century hard stone cameo, shell, ebony, rose quartz, citrine, opal, garnet, sea glass, aquamarine, amethyst, gold, natural pearls, tigers eye, 19th century cut steel, silk, cotton velvet, and silk floss Box: Archival foam core, Magic Smooth resin, cotton gauze, silk, cotton velvet, silver, metallic bullion ribbon, paper, cotton damask c. 1900, silk damask c. 1850, 18th century linen, cotton thread, and silk floss
2024.284.A,.B
Bottle
9th–10th century
Glass; blown, stamped, and worked on the pontil
70.103
Dish
11th–13th century
Glass; mold blown, tooled, and worked on the pontil
70.101
Overall front
mid–late 19th century
Silver; fire-gilded and chased, with decorative wire, chains, openwork, and table-cut carnelians.
2023.585
Overall front
late 19th–early 20th century
Silver; fire-gilded and chased, with table-cut carnelians.
2023.587
Velvet Panel
late 16th–early 17th century
Silk, cotton, and metal-wrapped thread: cut and voided velvet, brocaded
2015.80