Bottle

Art Historical Context

This elegant glass bottle, hailing from the Islamic world and likely crafted in the 18th or 19th century, the refined artistry of traditional glassmaking. Standing at an impressive 16 716 inches (41.8 cm) tall and weighing just 8.88 oz (251.7 g), its slender form suggests it was designed for practical yet decorative use—perhaps to hold perfumes, oils, or rosewater, common in Ottoman or Persian households. The bottle was created using mold-blowing, a technique where molten glass is blown into a patterned mold to achieve textured surfaces, followed by tooling on the pontil—a iron rod used to shape the base while still hot. This method, perfected over centuries in Islamic regions, allowed artisans to produce intricate designs efficiently, blending utility with subtle beauty. Its presence in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Art department highlights the enduring legacy of these crafts. Part of the renowned Edward C. Moore Collection, bequeathed to the Met in 1891, this anonymous masterpiece invites us to appreciate the anonymous skill of Islamic glassworkers, whose innovations influenced global decorative arts. A testament to everyday elegance!