We're all atwitter over the new find in London, a Roman millefiore bowl of impressive size, and unfortunately just-lost color.
(This contemporary bowl using the same technique, is for sale, here. It's not as big as the lovely one just found, only 11cm dia x 3 cm height. But I'd be happy with it. If it was red.)
I had not known that millefiore – fabulous glasswork now associated with the island of Murano, in Venice, called "thousand flowers" – was so old. I'm very glad, as I've loved it since I first spent more than I ought on some earrings in Venice while a poor graduate student.
Turns out, that not only is it old, but the skill stuck around in the area! Lavena was kind enough to look in Treasures of Early Irish Art 1500BC-1500AD for me, and cites:
glass rods inside metal tubes to facilitate slicing into decorative
discs.
She goes on, "Millefiori was being produced by the Irish and could have been imported/brought into England in the 5-6th century. There is a picture of a bronze hanging-bowl escutcheon with enamel and millefiori glass, about AD 675. I have never seen a picture of a dish like the one they talk about in the article. Usually, glass was inlaid into metal then fired."
I had four simultaneous thoughts when I saw this new find:
- I want to see the pre-drained color! Gosh, I hope somebody had a camera.
- Wouldn't it be great if it was only Roman-style, and was locally manufactured??
- Feast gear upgrade! I want one. I wonder if transparent FIMO would work.
- I can now wear my expensive souvenir earrings with my Kentish and Roman garb!!
The “bowl” that she’s talking about is most likely the Sutton Hoo Hanging bowl:
http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/pe_mla/h/hanging_bowl_from_the_ship-bur.aspx
Close-up of millefiori detail:
http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_image.aspx?image=ps250005.jpg&retpage=20683
(You can find many other images with that info. 🙂 )
My research on this isn’t the *most* current, but when I was looking into it this bowl was pretty much accepted to be of Celtic manufacture (sometimes even called the “Celtic Hanging Bowl” as I recall).
Millefiori is COOL. There are beads done with the technique as well (though most I am coming up with are more from the Norse period).
There’s a guy in Calontir who made millefiori cane for an inlaid cross. It’s not easy… 🙂
Best!
Maerwynn
Maerwynn – I’m so pleased you continue to contribute! Thanks so much for the cool pics…everybody go see them. (Keep it up and I’ll have to figure out how to put up credits for Associated Contributors. :D)
My pal Lavena can do some of these canes…she made me a lovely present of a bunch of her beads, including a FACE BEAD! The original that she copied dating from 100 BC, so it’s particularly appropriate to these Borum Eshoj outfits I’ve been making. Very fun. The checkerboard type is one she figured out recently…I’m so proud of people who experiment and gain skills!