Five Chinese Puddingstone Snuff Bottles, 18th to 20th Century

清中期-民國抱子石鼻烟壺四支

-The first, circa 1750-1860, of miniature flattened-rounded form, the shoulders sloping to a cylindrical neck, with a flat lip, wide mouth and flat foot, the undecorated stone with numerous pebbles of various sizes and shapes, in shades of black, gray and brown, tightly embedded in a tan matrix, well-hollowed
-The second, 19th century, of shield form, with a waisted neck, flat lip and base, the narrow sides flattened, the undecorated body consisting of a rich russet-brown matrix embedded with dark brown pebbles of various sizes and shapes, many within a lighter shell.
The third, late 20th century, of tall, tapered cylindrical form with flared lip, flat mouth, indented circular foot, the stone of greyish pebbles in an ochre matrix
-The fourth, 19th–20th century, of ovoid form, the shoulders sloping to a slightly splayed neck, with a concave lip and flat base, the brown matrix embedded with small beige pebbles of various sizes and shapes, some with russet centers.
-The fifth, possibly second half 19th century, of flattened rectangular form with rounded shoulders, cylindrical lip, flat mouth and protruding oval footrim, underside inscribed Xingyouheng Tang, which may be translated as "Hall of Perseverance or Constancy". The stone of a grainy beige matrix enclosing pebbles of various hues
Note:
According to the entry for a black lacquer snuff bottle, inscribed with a similar mark from the Francine and Bernald Wald collection, sold at Bonham's, New York, September 15, 2025, lot 157, the mark 'Xing You Heng Tang' refers to the hall of the fifth Prince Ding Zaichuan, poet, collector and patron of the arts, A great-great grandson of the Qianlong Emperor, Prince Ding rose to high official rank of his own accord during the Daoguang and Xianfeng reigns.

Tallest height without stopper 3 1/4 in., 8.3 cm.

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

This lot is located in Philadelphia.

Provenance:

-The first: Estate of I. Arnold Victor

sold Doyle New York, March 13, 2017, lot 250

-The second: Roswell auctions, Roswell, GA, November 5, 2021, lot 3005

-The fourth: Asian Antiques Selection Auction, Osaka, Japan, November 30, 2023, lot 177111

-The fifth: Private collection, Pasadena, Southern California, acquired from Sotheby's in the 1990s, by repute, sold California Asian Art Auction Gallery, USA, El Monte, California, November 3, 2024, lot 1021

-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

Five Chinese Puddingstone Snuff Bottles, 18th to 20th Century

清中期-民國 抱子石鼻烟壺四支

清中期-民國抱子石鼻烟壺四支