EGYPT OR SYRIA, LATE 12TH/EARLY 13TH CENTURY

Marvered glass is made by moulding a parison (a rounded mass of glass) on a blowpipe and applying a continuous spiral of coloured glass around the body (Carboni 2001, 291). A fine toothed, or pointed, tool is then used to drag the coloured glass in a direction, creating a ‘combed pattern’. The glass bubble is then rolled over the marver, or polished stone used by glassmakers. This pushes the spiral trail into the surface of the glass, essentially creating ‘marvered’ glass, where the applied decoration can hardly be perceived in relief at touch. Once the glass is ‘marvered’, it is then blown or moulded into the desired final shape.
Comparable games pieces are illustrated in Carboni (2001, pl. 81). For similar marvered game pieces see: Sotheby’s 16 October 2002, lot 41, and 12 October 2000, lot 108; and Bonhams 29 April 2000, lot 108.