beaker
Object NameBeaker with Birds
Made FromGlass
Date900-1099
Place MadeEgypt; Iran
Techniqueblown, linear-cut, ground
SizeOverall H: 13.3 cm, Diam (max): 9.7 cm
Accession Number59.1.477
Curatorial Area(s)
Exhibitions
Les Tresors Fatimides du Caire
Islam and the Medieval West
On ViewThe Jerome and Lucille Strauss Study Gallery
Physical DescriptionColorless. Blown; linear-cut. Beaker shaped like truncated cone, but somewhat lopsided. Rim plain, with top ground flat; wall straight and tapering; base plain; pontil mark (D. 1.3 cm). Small oval area (H. about 7 cm, W. 2.5 cm) in upper part and midsection of wall is flat, not curved (see below). Rather perfunctory linear-cut decoration on wall: one narrow register and one broad register separated by continuous horizontal line. Upper, narrow register begins 3.5 cm below rim; it has pair of continuous horizontal lines at top and contains two bands of short transverse cuts; cuts do not touch one another, but resemble 12 pairs of chevrons or two continuous zigzags. Lower, broad register is divided by four pairs of vertical cuts into two broad and two narrow panels (clockwise): (1) wide panel containing standing bird shown in profile, facing left; it has large, curling crest, crosshatched body, and long tail feathers; (2) narrow panel with geometric decoration that includes large U-shaped motif above smaller element shaped like letter A, but with double V-shaped crossbar; (3) wide panel containing schematic bird shown in profile, facing left; it appears to have open beak and has crosshatched breast; and (4) similar to (2). All cuts are about 0.2 cm wide.Provenance
Source
Ray Winfield Smith
(American, 1897-1982) - 1959-07-27
