The pheasant goblet from Varpelev with enamel inscription DVB • P • – the signature of a glass decorator

Abstract

In 1861 a complete glass vessel of type Isings 85b was discovered in a man’s grave at Varpelev on the Danish island Zeeland. It is painted with enamel and the only one of this subgroup carrying an inscription. As it is a drinking vessel so far the four letters were interpreted individually as D(a) V(inum) B(onum) P(ie). No attention was paid to the dots in the middle of the line infront and after the P; in inscriptions dots serve as interpunctuation. Therefore, the first three letters belong together leaving us with only two words. The author reads DVB • P(inxit) – the first signature of an artist painted with enamel in Roman times. A complete reconstruction of the name and the consequent identification of the sexus are nevertheless not possible.