Annual Conventions
The Society has held annual conventions since the first event in New York City, September of 1969. Three conventions have been held in New York City as well as all other major cities in the United States such as: Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and many other cities.
The international venues have included three conventions in Beijing, three in Canada, one in Dublin, five in Hong Kong, four in London, one in Paris, one in Singapore, one in Taipei, and one in Xian.
Our 57th annual convention in Toronto, Canada will take place from
Tuesday, October 14 to Saturday, October 18, 2025
HQs: The Omni King Edward Hotel, 37 King Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 1E9
(CN $360= US $265)
Preliminary program
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
11:00 a.m. - Opening of Dealers’ Room, Lower Level, Windsor Room AB
11:00 - 2:00 p.m. – Registration – Foyer on Lower Level
3:00 p.m. – Afternoon High Tea Welcome Reception, Sovereign Ballroom
4:30 p.m. - Opening lecture by Ning Wang, scholar and dealer, Windsor Room C
“A Selection of Snuff Bottles from the ROM and Imperial Collections”
Questions and Answers
6:00-7:00 p.m. – New Members’ meeting, Windsor Room C
Evening Free , Dealers’ Room open until 11 p.m.
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
8:30 a.m. - Dealers’ Room open, Windsor Room AB
Luncheon at leisure
1:00 p.m. – Depart for the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). Greetings by Adam Levine, curator. Groups of 35 persons will alternate walking through the AGO storage area in the meeting room to handle additional Thomson snuff bottles (20 minutes per handling session).
4:00 p.m. – Lecture by Robert Hall and Stuart Sargent (possibly an extemporaneous Chinese interpreter will be available if funding is given by the Thomson Foundation), AGO Auditorium
“The Thomson Collection of Chinese Snuff Bottles”
Questions and Answers
5:30 p.m. - Depart the AGO (AGO open till 8pm)
6:00 p.m. – Arrive at Waddington’s Auctioneers and Appraisers for reception and refreshments. Snuff bottles from private collectors will be displayed for a special exhibition.
6:30 p.m. – Welcoming remarks at Waddington’s
Remainder of evening free , Dealers’ Room open until 11 p.m.
Thursday, October 16, 2025
8:30 a.m. - Dealers’ room open – Windsor Room AB
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. – Members’ meeting, Windsor Room C
Lunch at your leisure
2:00 p.m. – Coaches depart for Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) to view snuff
bottles in the storage area. Greetings by Dr. Chen Shen, co-chief curator of
Asian art – (the museum will be partly closed for renovation)
4:00 p.m. - Depart ROM for walk to the Gardiner Museum (across the street). Greetings
by Dr. Karine Tsoumis, curator
5:30 p.m. – Depart Gardiner Museum
6:00 p.m. – Chinese restaurant (dinner hosted by the Toronto ICSBS members)
Dealers’ Room open until 11 p.m.
Friday, October 17, 2023
8:30 a.m. - Dealers’ Room open, Windsor Room AB
9:30 – 10:00 a.m. – Viewing of auction items for the ICSBS Educational Fund
10:00 - 12:30 p.m. – Benefit Auction led by Robert Hall, auctioneer
Luncheon at leisure in hotel
1:30 – 2:15 p.m. – Two seminars
Seminar 1 - Led by S.L. Tan, “Analyzing Snuff Bottles and the Marketplace”
Seminar 2 - TBD
2:15 -2:45 p.m. – Refreshments
2:45 – 3:15 p.m. – Repeat of two seminars
4:30 p.m. - Break down of dealers’ room
Gala Banquet
6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. – Cash Bar Cocktails, Sovereign Ballroom (1st floor)
7:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. - Gala dinner, remarks, awards and dancing
OPTIONAL TOUR
Saturday, October 18, 2023
9:00 a.m. - Depart hotel for Niagara Falls (2 hrs = 129 km/ 84 miles)
11:15 a.m. – Arrive at Niagara Falls, Canada side (the more spectacular)
12:30 p.m. – Coach will depart for lunch venue TBD
2:00 p.m. - Depart for Niagara-on-the-lake (50 min bus ride from Falls and/or visit an ice wine vineyard
5:00 p.m. – Return to King Edward Hotel
Our 2026 convention will take place in Amsterdam.
