3-037-553 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Quadripartite Kohl Tube, 5th-6th century. Additional Info: Free-blown kohl tube of translucent blue-green glass. Produced by blowing four separate tubes, each being separated from the blowpipe at its open end and the orifice dimensions enlarged with tongs. All four tubes were joined to one another with molten glass placed at the bottom and pressed in to form a base. After this, a very fine trail of glass was wound around the four tubes from the bottom to the top. Then a large trail of molten glass was doubled back over itself on the four corners of the piece, again from top to bottom. Arching elements were created by attaching and stretching gathers of glass from one tube to another.