In exquisite miniature, this pitcher imitates larger glass vessels in everyday use. Created from a few drops of molten glass, it may well have contained the rarest bit of essence or perfume when Rome was at her peak. The passage of centuries has given it a rich iridescence, the shimmering aura of a baroque pearl. As we contemplate this charming object, we cannot help but wonder what function it served so long ago. Did it hang around the neck of some legendary beauty, filling her senses with sweet perfume? Did it capture a single tear from the eye of a mourner to be buried with some beloved friend? Was it the grave gift of a child, a miniature version of the glass vessels buried with adults? Its past, like its size, poses only mystery. Yet, as we hold it today, delighting in its perfection, we share our pleasure with those who lived in a distant age.