Glass of Four Millennia

This book charts the development of Glass over four millennia -- from 18th Dynasty Egypt, through to the present day -- illustrated by 56 examples from the collections held by the Ashmolean Museum. The earliest fragments are from a Meopotamian glass beaker, dating from the 15th/14th century BC and found relatively recently in Iraq; the earliest complete piece is a small, green fish-shaped dish from Ancient Egypt dated 1400/1300 BC. The invention of glass-blowing in the first century BC revolutionised the glass industry -- two early Roman vessels are illustrated -- the later discovery of the moulding process is illustrated by moulded bottles from Northern France. Most of the later examples are English, from early eighteenth-century wine bottles and engraved wine glasses, including examples by William Beilby and an 'Amen' glass c1740/50, ending with the contemporary 'Finzi' bowl engraved by Lawrence and Simon Whistle c.1981 to commemorate the composer Gerald Finzi (1901-56).