Waddington’s and the International Chinese Snuff Bottle Society

Waddington’s is proud to support the International Chinese Snuff Bottle Society (ICSBS) and to serve as its only Canadian auction house member. It was our honour to co-organize and co-host the 57th Annual ICSBS Convention in Toronto this year.

The initiative to bring the convention to Canada began during a 2023 visit from renowned snuff bottle experts Lindsay and Robert Hall. A subsequent visit from former ICSBS president John Ford and current ICSBS president Berthe Ford in 2023 helped shape the vision for the event.

Waddington’s Asian Art specialists, Amelia Zhu and Austin Yuen, introduced the ICSBS to the relevant staff at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), the Gardiner Museum, and the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). The Thomson Collection, housed at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), includes over 200 bottles spanning four centuries, crafted from diverse materials and techniques, a project initially launched and curated by the Halls. Their newest publication, “Made for You: Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Collection of Ken Thomson” (CA Book Publishing & AGO, October 2025), was released in conjunction with the convention.

Waddington’s collaborated with the Art Gallery of Ontario and curator Dr. Adam Levine to develop programming focused on Thomson’s collection. Zhu invited Jinpeng Wang, third-generation inside-painting artist and grandson of Wang Xisan, to Toronto for a live demonstration of traditional inside painting, and the Halls presented an in-depth lecture on the Thomson Collection.

Waddington’s curated a private exhibition featuring a single-owner collection of Chinese snuff bottles, recognized as one of Canada’s finest collections not held by an institution. The exhibition debuted with a reception and buffet at the historic Broadview Hotel, uniting collectors, scholars, and enthusiasts. Also showcased was a curated selection of Chinese works of art from Waddington’s fall Asian Art Auction, such as imperial porcelain, archaic jades, sculpture, and paintings. Select highlights from Waddington’s International and Canadian Fine Art departments were also featured.

The event was a great success, and we enjoyed meeting with faces both old and new. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the ICSBS and seeing what the future holds for this exceptional artform and its enthusiasts!

Find out more about the ICSBS.

Contact us for further information at [email protected]