Two Chinese Root Amber and an Amber Snuff Bottle, 18th to 19th Century

清中期琥珀鼻烟壺四支

-The first, late 18th-19th century, root amber of bulbous ovoid form, with a cylindrical neck, flat lip and flat base, the material with attractive inclusions in various shades of brown and ochre, well hollowed.
-The second, 18th century, reddish amber of bulbous circular form, with a short cylindrical neck, flat lip and concave protruding foot, the main sides undecorated, the narrow sides with well-carved mask-and rings, the interior crizzled and with snuff residue, very well hollowed.
-The third, circa 1780-1880, root amber of bulbous ovoid form, with a cylindrical neck, flat lip and recessed base surrounded by a neatly carved oval footrim, the main sides undecorated, the narrow sides carved with mask and elongated mock rings, the material with attractive swirling inclusions in various shades of brown and ochre, well hollowed.

Tallest height without stopper 2 3/8 in., 6 cm.

Property from the Estate of Dr. Thomas Klein, sold to benefit Jefferson Hospital

This lot is located in Philadelphia.

Provenance:

-the first, sold Sotheby's, New York, March 17, 1997, lot 134

-the second: Nadeau’s Auction Gallery, Windsor, Connecticut, April 27, 2019, lot 231A

-The third: New Orleans dealer 2001

-All: Property from the Estate of Dr. Thomas Klein, sold to benefit Jefferson Hospital

湯姆·克萊因醫生收藏鼻烟壺逾四十年。他畢業於哈佛大學與羅徹斯特大學，曾於美國陸軍擔任婦產科醫師並出任高階領導職務。其後於傑佛遜醫院服務三十年，2023年以婦產科副主任身分榮退，期間培養了五百餘名住院醫師與無數醫學生。他的學術與臨床精神延續於以其名設立的「Thomas A. Klein 講席教授」，本場拍賣所得亦歸於傑佛遜醫院。

Tom Klein’s life was shaped by two enduring passions: medicine and the collecting of snuff bottles. While these worlds rarely intersected, both were marked by the same qualities—quiet dedication, discernment, and grace.

Tom was unfailingly modest–when the I.C.S.B.S. held its convention in Philadelphia, he entrusted me to select bottles from his collection for the exhibition “Embers of the East,” a task made challenging by the number of exceptional bottles. His passion for collecting was thoughtful rather than acquisitive, grounded in appreciation rather than display. These were his companions—objects he handled, studied, and loved for over 40 years.

Professionally, Tom enjoyed an equally distinguished career. A graduate of Harvard University and the University of Rochester, he served as an obstetrician-gynecologist in the U.S. Army in senior leadership roles. He spent thirty years at Jefferson Hospital, retiring in 2023 as Vice Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology, having trained more than five hundred residents and countless medical students. His legacy continues through the Thomas A. Klein, MD Professorship in Quality and Safety in Women’s Health.

To those who knew him as a collector, these accomplishments mirrored the man I admired: principled, generous, and exacting without pretension. Over the 35 years I had the privilege to know him, he was a gentleman in the most absolute sense of the word. Though he is deeply missed, his presence endures in the objects he cherished and in our shared love of snuff bottles.

Clare Chu

Two Chinese Root Amber and an Amber Snuff Bottle, 18th to 19th Century

清中期 琥珀鼻烟壺四支

Two Chinese Root Amber and an Amber Snuff Bottle, 18th to 19th Century

清中期 琥珀鼻烟壺四支

清中期琥珀鼻烟壺四支

清中期琥珀鼻烟壺四支