The Minden Family

The Collection

The Collection consists of over 75 pieces of original ancient glass and pottery. The examples of glass date from the 6th century BC to the 12th century AD, thus covering a wide spectrum of glass making technology from its earliest beginnings in ancient Mesopotamia and Greece through to the middle ages. The pieces in the collection originate in the regions of Syria and Palestine, including the periods of Roman and Islamic occupation. The collection contains a variety of vessels that show developments in glass making techniques beginning in the ancient Near East. The earliest technique is called core forming which dates to the 10th century BC. In the 1st century BC, glass blowing and mould-made glass technologies were invented. The varying shapes and styles attest to the different functions of each piece. Many of the vessels in the collection were used as perfume vials, but there are others that were used as drinking and serving ware for special occasions. The collection also consists of a number of ancient glass and faience beads that were used as adornment. The Arthur and Beatrice Minden Collection of Glass occupies a prominent position in the Museum's growing collection of original ancient artefacts. Thanks to the generosity of donors like the Mindens, the Museum now boasts a substantial collection of ancient glass and pottery, much of it hailing from the ancient Near East. The breadth of the collection will serve faculty and students of the University of Saskatchewan by providing a valuable educational and research collection for advancing the study of ancient material culture.

Arthur Minden (1910-1966) journeyed as a child with his family from Zhitormir, then part of the Russian Empire, to Hamilton, Ontario. In 1912, Canada became his home. The first of his family to attend university, he graduated from Osgoode Hall and established a law practice that grew to become a prominent firm (Toronto's Minden Gross LLP was founded in 1950 by Arthur Minden, Edwin J. Pivnick and Morris A. Gross). Well known for his enthusiasm, love of life and the assistance he extended to others, his generous character developed into an active public-spiritedness and in 1954, together with his friend Dr. David Green, he created the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada. Today, The Arthur Minden Pre-Doctoral Fellowship award through Muscular Dystrophy Canada honours him as its co-founder and first president. His leadership qualities were recognized in Toronto's Jewish community and he was asked to lead a study mission to the young country of Israel. During a number of visits he became fascinated with ancient glass from the middle east. In the late 1950s he began this collection. His early death left his wife Beatrice its custodian.
Beatrice Minden, née Spiegel (1910-2009) was born in Toronto to immigrant parents and married Arthur Minden in 1934. She shared his exuberance for life, the arts and community involvement. After Arthur's death in 1966, Beatrice, inspired by his enthusiasm for philanthropy, created the Beatrice & Arthur Minden Foundation and offered support to many cultural and medical organizations in Toronto as well as creating scholarships in Toronto and Israel. She survived her husband by almost half a century, passing away in 2009 at close to 100 years old. It was her wish that a suitable home for the collection be found in Canada that would enable continued scholarship and appreciation for this exquisite ancient glass.

Core-Formed Glass

The earliest container glass vessels were of the core-formed type, which originated in New Kingdom Egypt and Mesopotamia around 1500 BC.  The technique was later revived in Classical and Hellenistic Greece.  It involved making a removable core of mud, clay or sand built up in the desired shape of the vessel around a metal rod.  The core was then either dipped in molten glass or threads of hot glass were wound about it.  The vessel was then rolled upon a flat surface to refine and smooth out the shape.  Decorations, such as zigzags, were created by dragging a comb-like implement along the surface while it was still hot.  Handles, necks, rims and feet were fused on separately.  Finally, the core and metal rod were removed.  The main shapes of core-formed vessels, including the alabastron (elongated flask), amphoriskos (small amphora), and the oinochoe (juglet), show Greek influence.  Given their small size, the primary function of these vessels was likely to hold perfumes.  The main centres for the production of these vessels were likely Egypt, Syria and Greece.

Alabastron

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 6th - 5th century BC

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Core-formed alabaston decorated with combed bands.
Blue, white and yellow glass.
Height: 11.5 cm
Diameter: 3.7 cm
Lip may be a replacement, overall wear, encrustation may hide damage to the body.

Amphoriskos

Mediterranean

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 6th - 5th century BC

provenance: Mediterranean

description: Twin-handled, core-formed amphoriskos with a ribbed body and decorated with tooled yellow threads.
Cobalt blue and yellow glass.
Height: 10 cm
Diameter: 6 cm
Portions of the lip and one handle restored.

"Duck-Head" Alabastron

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: The Minden Family

date: c. 2nd half of 5th century BC

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Core-formed alabastron decorated with combed bands and "duck-head" terminals.
Black, turquoise, white and yellow glass.
Height: 8 cm
Diameter: 2.5 cm
Intact.

Islamic Glass

Glass production continued unabashed in the wake of the fall of the western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, particularly in the east.  Along with the rise of Islam came innovative styles, which flourished roughly from the 7th to the 14th centuries.  Although indebted to glass-making techniques of late antiquity, Islamic glass artists introduced new shapes and new methods of decoration, including gilding and enameling of glass, methods that were later passed on to the Venetians.  Islamic artists were also renowned for their superb relief-cut vessels.

A highlight of the Arthur and Beatrice Minden collection are several exquisite pieces of Islamic glass of late antiquity and the early middle ages. The earlier Islamic pieces were inspired by a Roman tradition of decorating clear, thin-walled vessels with fine spiraled and pinched threads. Late Islamic pieces, brilliantly coloured mold-blown vessels, remained in production into the early Middle Ages.  Islamic vessels with globular bodies or round with flat bottoms attached to long, thin necks were popular as rose-water sprinklers.  Such shapes were also popular in pottery manufacturing.  Islamic cut glass is represented by a refined blue-green tubular bottle decorated with cut ovals inlaid in opaque white glass.

Bell Shaped Bottle

Syro-Palestinian or Egyptian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. AD 7th - 9th century

provenance: Syro-Palestine or Egypt

Bulbous Islamic Bottle

Islamic

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. AD 11th - 12th century

provenance: Syro-Palestine.

description: Tall, thin-necked bottle with a bulbous base and trailed decoration to the neck.
Pale green glass.
Height: 19 cm
Diameter: 8.5 cm
Intact, three levels of trailing are fugitive, some iridescence, old collection label in the neck.

Cupping Glass

Islamic

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 9th - 14th century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Cupping glass of domed shape with a curved spout.
Green glass.
Height: 6.5 cm
Diameter: 9 cm
Spout broken, one crack to the body, some iridescence.

Eye Jar

Islamic

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 9th - 10th century AD

provenance: Persia, possibly Egypt

description: Squat, mold-blown jar decorated with "eyes".

Clear glass.
Height: 3.7 cm
Diameter: 5.3 cm
Intact, iridescence.

Islamic Bottle

Islamic

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 11th - 12th century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine or Iran

description: Tall, thin-necked bottle with a tulip-shaped mouth. There is an approximate 5 mm interior flange running through the mid-point of the bulbous body and three bands of applied decoration to the neck: the lower band a thick, pinched dark blue; the mid-point in a three twist trailed decoration in the same colour as the body; the upper in dark blue trail with a cage in turquoise blue applied over.

Greenish glass, dark blue and turquoise appliqués as noted.
Height: 19 cm
Diameter: 9.5 cm
Small hole to the body repaired, spreading fractures from the hole are stable, trace encrustation, old collection label to the base.

Blue Bottle

Islamic

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. AD 11th - 12 century

provenance: Egypt or Persia

description: Height: 18 cm
Diameter: 9 cm

Greenish glass, dark blue and turquoise appliqués as noted.
Height: 19 cm
Diameter: 9.5 cm
Small hole to the body repaired, spreading fractures from the hole are stable, trace encrustation, old collection label to the base.

Islamic Decanter (Ewer)

Islamic

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 7th - 9th century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine or Iran

description: Tall decanter with a pear-shaped body and pinched lip. There is an approximately 5 mm interior flange running through the mid-point of the bulbous body and five bands of trailed decoration to the throat; the handle is fugitive.
Green glass.
Height: 23 cm
Diameter 11 cm

Handle is fugitive, small hole to the body repaired, spreading fractures from the hole are stable, trace encrustation, old collection label to the base.

Islamic Square Bodied Bottle

Islamic

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 7th - 12th century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine or Iran

description: Square-bodied bottle with a pinched flower-like lip and a side lug.
Dark blue glass.
Height: 7.5 cm
Width: 2.7 cm
Intact, nice iridescence.

Handle is fugitive, small hole to the body repaired, spreading fractures from the hole are stable, trace encrustation, old collection label to the base.

Squat Islamic Bottle

Islamic

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 4th - 9th century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Squat bottle dimpled body and applied decoration to the neck.
Yellowish glass.
Height: 6 cm
Diameter: 5 cm
A pastiche the base being Islamic and the neck belonging to another vase, iridescence.

Thick Necked Islamic Bottle

Islamic

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 9th-10th century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine or Iran

description: height: 20.5 cm
diameter: 9.5 cm

Tubular Bottle

Islamic

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 7th - 8th century AD

provenance: Persia

description: Bottle decorated with ground dimples inlaid with white open ovals.
Blue-green and white glass.
Height: 16.5 cm
Diameter: 3 cm

Wide Bottle

Islamic

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 17th century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine or Iran

description: Wide shaped bottle with circle decoration at the top of body. Shallow "steps".
Green/Blue glass.
Height:  20.5 cm
Diameter: 9.5 cm

Perfume Vessels

Date Flask

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. mid 1st - early 2nd century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Mold-blown flask in the form of a date with a short neck and flared rim.
Amber glass.
Height: 8.5 cm
Diameter: 3.1 cm
Intact, iridescence.

Janus Flask

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 3rd - 4th century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Mold-blown "Janus" flask.
Height: 8 cm
Diameter: 5 cm
Intact, some iridescence.

Sidonian Flask

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 1st century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Sidonian mold-blown hexagonal flask decorated with vases, crosses and other motives, the shoulder and base ribbed.
Dark blue glass.
Height: 8.5 cm
Diameter: 5.7 cm
The body and shoulder show restoration, trace iridescence and encrustation.

Amphora Shaped Unguentaria

Cosmetic Flask

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 4th century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Cosmetic flask with flat, spread lip, twin handles and a pad foot. The body is decorated throughout its length with a single spiral trailed thread.
Green glass.
Height: 15.9 cm
Rim Diameter: 4.7 cm
Foot Diameter: 6.1-6.6 cm
Intact, iridescence.

Perfume Bottle

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 4th century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Perfume bottle with cone-shaped, dimpled body, tall cylindrical neck, spread lip and twin handles.
Green glass.
Height: 13 cm
Width: 6.5 cm
Intact, iridescence and encrustation, number "105" in red to the base.

Bulb Shaped Unguentaria

Bulbous Bottle

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 1st century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Thin-necked bottle witha bulbous base and flat lip.
Pale green glass.
Height: 7 cm
Diameter: 3.5 cm
Lip broken in two places, some iridescence encrustation and a rolled up paper inside.

Dimpled Perfume Bottle

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 2nd century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Perfume bottle with a dimpled body, cylindrical neck and flat lip.
Clear glass.
Height: 6.5 cm
Diameter: 3.5 cm
Intact, some iridescence and encrustation.

Four Handled Jar

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: Contemporary, probably from the Hebron area, mirroring a correct ancient shape of the 4th century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Jar with bag-shaped body, expanded neck and four applied handles.
Cobalt blue glass.
Height: 6.8 cm
Diameter: 5 cm
Intact, label to the base.

Pear Shaped Perfume Bottle

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 1st century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Perfume bottle with a pear-shaped body and pinched cylindrical neck.
Pale green glass.
Height: 11 cm
Diameter: 5 cm
Intact, some iridescence and encrustation.

Candle Stick Unguentaria

Candlestick Bottle

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 1st century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Tall, thin-necked bottle of candlestick form with a bulbous base.
Colorless; Pale blue; Pale green glass.
Height: 15.5 cm
Diameter: 6 cm
Intact, lip restored, some iridescence.

Candlestick Unguentarium II

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 2nd - 3rd century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Candlestick unguentarium.
Pale blue-green glass.
Height: 16.5 cm
Diameter 7.5 cm
Intact, some iridescence.

Candlestick Unguentarium

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 2nd - 3rd century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Candlestick bottle.
Pale blue-green glass.
Intact, nice iridescence, two paper labels to the base.

Globular Unguetarium

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 1st - 2nd century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Perfume bottle with globular body, tall cylindrical neck.
Green glass.
Lip is fugitive, iridescence and encrustation showing how the bottle was buried.

Sprinklers

Dropper Flask

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 4th century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Dropper flask with a ribbed, pear-shaped body, pinched feet and a spread lip with trailed decoration to the underside.
Olive green glass
Height: 12 cm
Diameter: 8 cm
Intact, iridescence, encrustation.

Dropper Flask

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 3rd - 4th century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Dropper flask with a ribbed, pear-shaped body, pinched feet and a spread lip with trailed decoration to the underside.
Olive green glass.
Height: 10 cm
Diameter: 6.6 cm
Intact, single slight crack, trace iridescence and encrustation.

Sprinkler

Israel

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. AD 4th - 5th century 

provenance: Israel

Squat Form Unguentaria

Dropper Bottle

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 1st century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Dropper bottle of squat form with a spread base, cylindrical neck and disk-shaped rim.
Green glass.
Height: 5 cm
Diameter: 5 cm
Intact, nice iridescence and trace encrustation.

Miniature Globular Jar

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 1st - 2nd century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Miniature jar of globular form.
Pale green glass.
Height: 3.2 cm
Diameter: 3 cm
Intact, encrustation.

Perfume Bottle

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 1st - 2nd century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Perfume bottle with a spread base, cylindrical neck and disk-shaped rim.
Pale green glass.
Height: 8.5 cm
Diameter: 6 cm
1.5 cm hole to the base, iridescence and trace encrustation.

Pillar Unguentarium

Syro-Palestine

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 1st - 2nd century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Squat "pillar" unguentarium.
Dark green glass.
Height: 6.5 cm
Diameter: 3 cm
Intact, nice iridescence.

Poppy Jar

Syro-Palestine

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 3rd - 4th century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine.

description: Squat jar with ribbed decoration to the shoulder likely in imitation of a poppy.
Pale blue glass.
Height: 5.5 cm
Diameter: 4 cm
Intact, portion of the lip possible re-attached, lively iridescence, some encrustation.

Tubular Unguentaria

Double Unguentarium

Syro-Palestine

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 4th - 5th century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine.

description: Double unguentarium with open ribbon decoration to the sides.
Green glass.
Intact, minor encrustation.

Double Unguentarium with Twin Handles

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 4th - 5th century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Double unguentarium with twin handles.
Pale blue-green glass.
Height: 12 cm
Width: 4 cm
Intact, iridescence, encrustation, number "162" in red to the base.

Unguentarium

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 1st century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Amphoriskos with a round base, cylindrical neck and disk-shaped rim. Intact, iridescence and trace encrustation, lavel to the side.

Slag Glass

Slag Glass

Syro-Palestinian

original

gift of: the Minden Family

date: c. 1st - 12th century AD

provenance: Syro-Palestine

description: Slag glass.
Pale green glass, adherent limestone.
Height: 7 cm
Diameter: 4 cm
Intact as preserved.