A cut glass bottle with applied green decoration, Persia, 9th/10th century

the body of globular form with a narrow cylindrical neck and plain rim with a flat top, a band of vertical chevrons cut around the shoulder, the neck with cut fishscale motif, the body decorated on either side with the profiles of two horses in green facing left against a foliate and animal ground

Breaks with associated restoration, 95% complete, two small holes on each side filled, some ears, some feet and parts of tails of horses sympathetically restored, some iridescence in patches, slight pitting to the top of the rim, as viewed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

By the eighth and ninth centuries, glass cutting was a prominent technique among glassworkers of the Islamic world.  The decoration on the bottle in the present example is known as 'linear decoration' (see Carboni & Whitehouse 2001, p.159) and is achieved by cutting into the surface of the glass "...With a rotating wheel fed with an abrasive slurry" (ibid).  The lines produced in this process form the details of the ornament and vary in width and depth.  Glass with decoration of this type has been found throughout the central Islamic World, from Egypt to Iran, with examples dating from the eighth to eleventh centuries. 

The present piece is a particularly rare example that makes use of an outer layer of glass of a different colour.  This layer is then carved back to reveal the transparent colourless body beneath; the design is left standing proud of the surface in relief.  This technique resembles the antique art of cameo carving in hardstone but is more difficult to perform in glass because of the obvious vulnerability of the material.  As such, pieces of this kind are extremely rare.

A comparable example to the present bottle also bearing an animal design can be found in the British Museum, (OA1966.12-11.1 - See Carboni & Whitehouse p.194, pl.99).