Perfume sprinkler (qumqum)

Public Domain

ExpandFavorite

CultureSyrian

Titles

Perfume sprinkler (qumqum)

Date13th century

MediumGlass; blown, marvered, applied, tooled and worked on the pontil

Dimensions4 3/8 × 3 × 1 3/8in. (11.1 × 7.6 × 3.5cm)

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number70.108

Current Location

The Caroline Wiess Law Building

113 Islamic Art Gallery

On view

Explore Further

Department

Art of the Islamic Worlds

Object Type

GLASS

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.

If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please contact us.