Featured Is this Roman glass amphora a fake?

What do you think of this Roman glass amphora? Is it a fake or is it worth getting it authenticated?
Thanks again and Happy Holidays.

 

Gut feel is repro. You're going to ask me why, now.

 

It wants to be old but doesn't quite get there. That rough pontil might be a clue - glass wasn't cheap back when, and a glassmaker wouldn't have let it out of his shop in that condition.

 

Could we see the top of the neck, so we can see the thickness of the glass?
Right now I think it is repro, but seeing the thickness would help. The thickness where the hanldes are attached are not a good sign.
I wouldn't call it an amphora, btw.

 

And that funky "buried" surface is everywhere except the pontil. I'm no glass expert but that sets alarm bells off.

 

Why????

 

The rim should be rounded, not cut and bevelled.

https://www.collector-antiquities.com/real-or-fake/fake-ancient-glass/

 

It's too thick, the fake aging is too considered, the handles are badly done - they'd be finer and thinner. Base ought to be consistently patinated. It's also too crude. Roman glass is well built. The fakes make the mistake of missing our the craftsmanship.

 

I agree, repro.

 

Ditto

 

Screams repro to me.

 

I don't know anything about ancient glass. This discussion is very interesting. From my inexperienced perspective, I found the comment about the condition of the pontil most compelling. That comment focused on the pontil being not oxidized while the rest of the glass surfaces are oxidized from being buried in soil.

As far as the glass thickness or the pontil not being ground, I would have assumed that glass made way back then would not be as fine as glass made much later, let's say 1400s glass or later. I assume ancient Roman glass did not grind the pontil and the glass was thick.

The other thing that strikes me is the survival of the applied glass handles while buried over centuries and then to be dug up and survive while digging them out of the ground. The survival of the applied glass handles seems almost impossible if the object was buried.

Correct me if I'm off with my assumptions.

 

Ancient Roman glass is actually very fine and thin, often. They did blown and mould blown, too. Carved cameo glass.

Have a look here: there's some wondrous stuff.

https://www.bohaglass.co.uk/roman-glass/

https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/rgls/hd_rgls.htm

There's actually pieces with surving handles too.

 

That is very helpful and good information. I appreciate that you took the time to share the photos. I don't collect antiquities, so this is outside of my collecting area.

 

You're very welcome. I've seen a fair bit in our museums and other European countries. I love the stuff.