46. Going roundel

This next six lobed vase is very attractive, and is similar in several respects to earlier objects we have seen. It feels like there are a mixture of approaches however so is possibly something of a transition in design, or even an experiment.

The majority of the body from the widest part downwards is decorated with roundels, coins and decorative wire spirals. Above that however is a simpler, though attractive design. Generally where we have seen objects with coins and roundels content previously that has been used throughout.

One key connecting feature occurs at the very top of the neck. Compare that area here with that of object 38. Both have a carefully formed but simple spiral (about five lines across the centre) with a single line of semicircles connecting them. This feels like a strong link between the two objects.

In an earlier post on object 38 there was already a connection made with object 36. Looking at coins from all three there seems to be further evidence, not least from the topline below marked ‘coin a’. These are the only objects that have this particular coin so far (number 7 in the examples in the coin imagebank). In all three thick wire is used for the circular surround.

The roundels provide less clear connections. There are some similarities in design between objects 46 and 36 but, if they are by the same workshop, it seems likely some time has passed between them. The enamel work on 46 feels more sophisticated.

Given the previous comment it seems possible that the workshop that made these objects was at a stage with this vase (object 46) where it was trying to add a distinguishing feature to the standard ’roundels, coins and spirals’ look of objects 36 and 38.

Object 46. Vase height cm weight 127 gm.

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