Roman vase (1st century AD) of dark-blue glass decorated with white figures, the finest surviving Roman example of cameo glass .
It came into the possession of the duke of Portland in the 18th century. The vase has been extensively copied, particularly in the Victorian period. The most accurate copies were made in jasperware with white figures in relief (by British Museum (where it still resides), the original vase was smashed, necessitating painstaking restoration.
Portland Vase, Roman cameo glass, 1st century AD; in the British Museum
By courtesy of the trustees of the British Museum