Swan-neck Bottle (Ashkdan)

19th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 462

The distinct tear-shaped opening at the top of this bottle was carefully tooled while the glass was still molten, and flows into a thin, curvilinear neck, before expanding to a globular body resting on a low foot. The visual resemblance to the curved and attenuated neck of a swan has inspired the name of these types of bottles, but according to folklore, these bottles were used as "containers for tears," (ashkdan) meant to collect the sorrows of wives separated from their husbands.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

References

Title: Swan-neck Bottle (Ashkdan)
Date: 19th century
Geography: Attributed to Iran
Medium: Glass, greenish; dip-molded, blown folded foot
Dimensions: H. 15 1/4 in. (38.7 cm)
Max. diam. 4 9/16 in. (11.6 cm)
Classification: Glass
Credit Line: Gift of Henry G. Marquand, 1883
Object Number: 83.7.255
Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

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Swan-Neck Glass Bottle, Glass, blue; dip-molded, blown, folded foot — Swan-Neck Glass Bottle
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Bottle with a Globular Body, Glass, blue; free blown, folded foot, applied decoration — Bottle with a Globular Body
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Swan-Neck Bottle (Ashkdan), Glass; dip molded, blown, folded foot — Swan-Neck Bottle (Ashkdan)
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Bottle with Four Handles, Glass, blue; blown, hollow folded foot, applied handles and decoration — Bottle with Four Handles
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