what you've all been asking for!

London Netsuke Symposium
November 5th-8th 2010

Rosemary Bandini and Max Rutherston are delighted to announce to a four-day netsuke symposium to be held in London in November 2010, coinciding with Asian Art in London Week and the first of the Ted Wrangham auctions.

Many of our European and American collector friends have long been asking us to organise an event in London. Some of you will remember the lively and highly successful conventions that used to be held in London, but it has now been 20 years since such an event took place here. Cost has always been a factor, but this is a time when we can take full advantage of the weakness of sterling. The symposium will be held at Dartmouth House, The English Speaking Union, in Charles Street, close to the historic centre of Mayfair. There will be a full programme of lectures and workshops each morning, with a fork buffet lunch, followed by viewing of the dealers' room. Our hotel accommodations are within a minute or two's walk of the location.

We have been able to negotiate rooms at the 4-star Washington Mayfair hotel at the very competitive rate of £165 for a classic double with full English breakfast (www.washington-mayfair.co.uk)This well appointed and recently refurbished James's of London's hotel is ideally located close to Bond Street and St James's as well as Bonhams auction rooms. Nearby Green Park tube station takes you direct to Christie's South Kensington salerooms. For those who prefer a slightly more traditional hotel, a number of rooms have been negotiated at a similar rate at Flemings Hotel in nearby Half Moon Street.

Mayfair is a charming area of central London which has retained much of its 18th century charm and the cobbled streets of Shepherds Market offer a wide choice of restaurants, traditional pubs and shops - including the world-renowned Geo F Trumper, gentlemen's hairdresser and perfumer, established in 1875 and bearer of a Royal Warrant, which offers an old-fashioned wet-shave for those who dare. For a taste of London's pageantry and royal history, St James's and Buckingham Palaces are a short walk away, across Green Park for those who want to see The Changing of The Guards

The event is being organised independently by us here in London, to complement the wonderful conventions held in the USA by the INS. We feel the time is right as London appears once again to have emerged as a major centre of Japanese art. There promises to be so much to do and see in relation to netsuke that you may have to plan a longer stay if you want to enjoy the myriad delights which London has to offer.

We promise you a wonderful time and will shortly be sending out information about registration and booking. We do have a number cap at Dartmouth House, so early registration is recommended.

SAVE THE DATE! We look forward to seeing you here in November

Rosemary and Max