IPBA Frequently Asked Questions

IPBA Membership

What are the benefits of my annual membership?

• Four issues of Perfume Bottle Quarterly magazine
• Convention access and participation
• Access to the online Virtual Museum with information available on all categories of perfume bottles and vanity items; Advertisements and other ephemera; Company histories; and Trade catalogs.  Over 8 thousand items with photos and descriptions that include type, material, designer/maker, markings, origin, label, date or era and dimensions, along with a brief description.
• eNews, a monthly email newsletter on current IPBA activities and news
• Lending Library access to all resources on file
• Member Directory with all member listings by alphabet and geographical location
• Free business listing and link for relevant websites
• Discount for advertising in the Perfume Bottle Quarterly

What are the dues amounts and when are they due?

The dues are currently $65 for U.S. members; $70 US for Canadian members; $75 for elsewhere. The higher charges cover the increased postage costs. Checks (for US members) MasterCard and VISA, or PayPal are accepted for payment. All dollar amounts are stated in US dollars.

Current members will receive a dues reminder email 30 days prior to their membership expiration, and another reminder two weeks before their two month grace period ends.  Those who have not paid their dues by the end of their grace period will lose their access to the members-only portion of the IPBA website, and will no longer receive the PBQ.

Members can always check their membership expiration date via the Membership Renewal page.

How is the membership year determined?

As of June 1, 2021, a new member receives 12 months of membership, starting from the date their payment is received.

Current members who are renewing receive an additional 12 months of active membership.

Memberships which are expired past their 60-day grace period will receive 12 months of membership from the date of payment.

Current members will receive a dues reminder email 30 days prior to their membership expiration, and another reminder two weeks before their two month grace period ends.  Those who have not paid their dues by the end of their grace period will lose their access to the members-only portion of the IPBA website, and will no longer receive the PBQ.

Members can always check their membership expiration date via the Membership Renewal page.

Prior to the ByLaws change on June 1, 2021, all memberships expired on June 30th of each year.

Can another person or a business be on my membership also?

Yes, dues cover one or two people at the same address — or one person and one business at the same address.

How do I set up or change my website password?

Follow these steps to set up your password for the IPBA website:
1. Go to the IPBA website’s login screen at https://perfumebottles.org/login/
2. Click “Reset or request your password”.
3. On the next screen, enter the email address used for your membership, and click “Send Me My Password”.
4. You will receive a Password Reset email. Follow that link.
5. Remove the suggested password (the random password is very secure but impossible to remember), and type in your desired password. If you choose to use a weak password, you will need to check a box indicting that you understand that your password is weak. Click “Reset Password”.
6. Click the “Log in” link.
7. Enter your email address again, and your new password and click “Log In”. You will be in!

Where do I send any change of address, telephone, fax, email, collecting interests, etc.?

Send all changes to the Membership Secretary, who maintains the complete roster of the membership. This will ensure we have the correct mailing address for the Perfume Bottle Quarterly and the most current listing for the Membership Directory.

Can I opt not to have my address printed in the Directory?

Yes, just advise the Membership Secretary. However, in making this decision please consider that you will not have the full benefits of networking with other members who may share your collecting interests.

How can I get a copy of the Membership Directory?

Membership Directories are available for IPBA members only.  A digital copy may be downloaded from the Member Directory page of this website.

Members without computer access will be mailed a printed copy once a year.

What issues of the Quarterly are received during a membership year?

Memberships run for a 12 month period, regardless of the time of year that you joined.  Each member will receive 4 issues of the Perfume Bottle Quarterly during their membership year.

Will I be reminded when my membership is to renew?

Current members will receive a dues reminder email 30 days prior to their membership expiration, and another reminder two weeks before their two month grace period ends.  Those who have not paid their dues by the end of their grace period will lose their access to the members-only portion of the IPBA website, and will no longer receive the PBQ.

Members who do not have an email address on record will receive a reminder envelope in the mail 30 days prior to their membership expiration, and another reminder two weeks before their two month grace period ends. You will not receive one if you have paid your dues in advance of the due date.

Members can always check their membership expiration date via the Membership Renewal page.

I know a prospective member whom I would like to receive a complimentary copy of a Perfume Bottle Quarterly and an application form. Who can send this out for me?

The Recording Secretary will be glad to do this if you supply the person’s name and mailing address.

How can I obtain IPBA brochures for recruiting new members?

You may request as many IPBA brochures as you wish. These are wonderful tools for recruiting members (and helping you win prizes in the Member-Get-A-Member contest). Contact the Membership Secretary or the International Vice President to request how many you would like sent to you.

You may also guide prospective members to our online Join Us webpage.

Remind your prospective member to enter your name in response to the question about how they heard of the IPBA.

What are the rewards for recruiting new members?

If you recruit:

• 1 or 2 new members, you will receive a free IPBA pin.
• 3 to 5 new members, you will receive a one-year paid membership.
• 6 to 9 new members, choice of: one free convention registration or two years paid membership.
• 10 to 15 new members, choice of: one free convention registration and one free convention hotel room night, or three years paid membership.
• 16+ new members, choice of: one free convention registration and two free convention hotel room nights, or five years paid membership.

The Member-Get-A-Member contest runs from April 1st through March 31st each year.

How can I find out where I stand in the Member-Get-A-Member contest?

Contact the Membership Secretary, who keeps a record of all new members you have recruited.  Recruitment data is based upon the new member listing your name as how they heard about the IPBA, so please make sure that they add your name.

Convention

When and where is the IPBA Annual Convention held?

The IPBA Convention is usually held in late April or early May.  It is held at various locations throughout the US such as in 2017 in Princeton, NJ; 2018 in Tysons, VA; 2019 in Chicago, IL, 2022 in Chicago, IL.  The convention has been held in the Washington, DC area, Las Vegas, NV, Dallas, TX and Portland, OR as a few examples.

Convention locations are considered based on accessibility, accommodations, and availability. For specific convention information or requests, please contact the IPBA Convention Chair at [email protected].

Do you have to be a member to sign up for the convention?

Yes, being able to attend the convention is one of the benefits of membership.  Members can bring one nonmember guest.

Are any events open to the Public?

Yes. The auction is open to the public.  We open the Showroom for a few hours on Saturday and Sunday to the public.  Our presentation “Collecting Perfume Bottles, Compacts, Purses and other Vanity Items 101” is open to the public.  And the Collector’s Market is also open to the public.  The schedule for the Events Open to the Public will be announced approximately 3 months prior to the convention.

Is there a fee to attend the convention?

Yes, the cost of the convention is decided on an annual basis and covers the cost of the meeting rooms, AV, some food, and costs associated with putting on the convention.

How long is the convention?

The convention begins on Thursday afternoon and runs through Sunday around noon.  Optional tours are typically available one or two days prior to the convention.

What happens at the convention?

The convention is a multi-faceted event including but not limited to: presentations, round table discussions, an international auction, a showroom with professional vendors selling perfume bottles and vanity items, an orientation meeting for first time attendees, a Keynote, a collectors market where members may sell items, informal gatherings, a Treasures Found event where experts identify items and a business meeting.  We strive to meet a high standard of education during the event.  We also have a beginner’s event called “Collecting Perfume Bottles, Compacts, Purses and Other Vanity Items 101” for new collectors.

More information on our upcoming convention, as well as recaps of prior conventions can be found here.

Will food be provided?

Yes, but not every meal. There is a Luncheon and Annual Meeting. Other opportunities for food varies based on the agenda.

In what type of location is the convention held?

We hold the convention at a hotel where attendees can stay overnight, and the venue provides rooms for the events along with catering capabilities.   The hotels will give the IPBA a special room rate that we pass on to our attendees.

What if I can only attend a part of the convention, is there a lesser fee?

No, we do our best to make the convention the event of the year and hope that everyone will attend the entire weekend.

If the schedule allows for it, we may sell tickets to the public for a special event like a high-profile Keynote presentation.  This information will be made public at the time the registration materials are available.

When can I expect to receive Convention Registration materials?

Registration materials are sent to all IPBA members about three months prior to the Convention.  Registration will also be available on our website at that time.

Look for upcoming Convention information on this web site as well.

If I have any questions about the convention who do I contact?

You may send your questions to the Convention chair at:  [email protected]

How do I sign up to be a vendor in the showroom?

Send your inquires to the Convention Show Chair at: [email protected]

Region Activity

How can I find other members in my area?

We recommend using the Membership Directory, which can be downloaded from the Member Directory page of this website.  Members are listed by country, and then alphabetically by last name.  The file is in Excel format, so it can be sorted by State or searched on Collecting Interest.

Also check the Regional Chapters page on this website, which gives descriptions of our Regional Chapters and provides contact information.

How can I find out about regional chapters of the IPBA?

Check the Regional Chapters page on this website, which gives descriptions of our Regional Chapters and provides contact information.

Bottle & Vanity Item Information

Who can I contact regarding identification of an unusual bottle or vanity item, or historical information on the company that produced it?

Initially, you should contact the Archivist. She/he can help you with identification, history, etc. and direct you to research sources. If you have a question about a specific bottle or vanity item, it will be helpful to send a quality photo.

How do I find a book on my collecting specialty?

IPBA’s Lending Library is a great resource. Books are available for members to borrow for free, except for the return postage. A complete list is found on the web site, or contact the IPBA Librarian.

The IPBA Archivist will give you suggestions regarding books in print and their availability.

Many book reviews are also available on this website.

What do I do if I need to sell a collection?

See our article on suggested steps for Liquidating a Perfume Bottle or Vanity Item Collection.

Where can I buy and/or sell bottles or vanity items?

The IPBA’s annual convention has multiple buy-sell options: the Perfume Bottle and Vanity Show & Sale offers the largest collection of dealers; the Collectors Market is a more casual set-up for anyone, including non-dealers; and many informal opportunities to meet and exchange with other attendees are available, although not an official Convention activity. The Convention also features the world’s largest Auction with exceptional (and often valuable!) lots of perfume bottles and vanity items — please note that phone and online bids are accepted as part of the Auction activities.

Also check our “What is It? What’s It Worth?” page on this website.  It lists members who are dealers and appraisers.

Where can I get an appraisal on a specific bottle or vanity item?

The IPBA itself does NOT provide any appraisals. However, many IPBA members are dealers and/or appraisers. Also visit our “What is It? What’s It Worth?” page on this website.  It lists members who are dealers and appraisers.

Perfume Bottle Quarterly

Can I get a translated version of a PBQ issue?

The PBQ issues from Winter 2017 to the present have the English text included in the PDF file, and can be translated to other languages using the following steps:

Method 1: If your operating system uses a language other than English, open the desired PBQ in your web browser, right click with your mouse, and select the “Translate to …” menu item. A translated version will be generated for you.

Method 2: Save the English version of the PBQ file to your hard drive, and open your browser to Google Translate. Click the “Documents” icon, and upload the English version of the PDF file. Select the desired output language and click the “Translate” button. After a minute or so, you will be able to either download or open the translated PDF file.

How can I volunteer to write and submit an article for the Quarterly?

Call or contact the Publications Chair with your suggestion. He or she will be happy to discuss topics, photo requirements, desired length, publishing schedules, and other important considerations.  The Contact Us page can be used to upload a file to send to our Publications Chair.

IPBA reserves the right to edit and distribute any submissions.

Past PBQ issues are archived and available for purchase based on availability.  Past issues are also archived as a members-only resource on this website.

How do I order a back issue of the PBQ?

Contact the Archivist at [email protected]. The cost is $7 per issue for members, and $12 for non-members.

Extra copies of the current issue of the PBQ can be ordered from the Secretary at a cost of $14.95 for US members and $19.95 for international members.

Volunteering

How can I get get involved and volunteer?

The IPBA is completely run by volunteers, and we love to see our new members get involved.

If you live in an area with a regional chapter, getting involved there is the quickest way to make friends.  If there is no regional chapter in your area, contact our Vice President about starting one!

The biggest opportunity to volunteer is of course with our convention.  Contact the Convention Chair to see if you can be of assistance.  Volunteer needs will also be listed in your convention packet.

Please visit our Board of Directors page for contact names or simply send a message via our Contact Us page.

IPBA Website and Virtual Museum

How do I set or reset by website password?

Follow these steps to set up your password for the IPBA website:
1. Go to the IPBA website’s login screen at https://perfumebottles.org/login/
2. Click “Reset or request your password”.
3. On the next screen, enter the email address used for your membership, and click “Send Me My Password”.
4. You will receive a Password Reset email. Follow that link.
5. Remove the suggested password (the random password is very secure but impossible to remember), and type in your desired password. If you choose to use a weak password, you will need to check a box indicting that you understand that your password is weak. Click “Reset Password”.
6. Click the “Log in” link.
7. Enter your email address again, and your new password and click “Log In”. You will be in!

Can I view the website in a language other than English?

Yes, you can!  Down at the webpage footer is a little box with the US flag and the word “English”.  Click the drop-down arrow, and you may select from a list of 16 languages.  The website pages will then be automatically translated for you.  There are, however, two limitations:

1. The text inside PDF files such as the archived issues of the Perfume Bottle Quarterly are not translated.
2. The search functionality is a straight text comparison with the descriptive information which has been entered in English.  So while searches based upon official names of fragrances or perfume houses should work fine, searches based on descriptive words like colors should still be entered in English.

How do I submit an item to the Virtual Museum?

IPBA’s Virtual Museum is here for members to enjoy and conduct research. Each category is intended to showcase the best representations available.  Your submissions are welcome!

Please provide quality, high resolution (minimum 300 dpi), sharply focused, images (up to 5) that show the key features of the bottle or vanity item. For example, images might show the front, back, labels, markings, and open/close options. Close-ups are welcome if they are clear, but often it is better to provide sharp, whole-item images that can be enlarged and cropped. Use bright lighting without glare. Use plain, simple backgrounds.  Unless the items are a matched set, there should be only one item per photo.

Only an IPBA sanctioned event can show an annotation on the photo.

Please rename the images with an indication of the maker, fragrance or other descriptive information (like “Blue DeVilbiss Atomizer_1.jpg”), not just “IMG123”.  Give multiple images of the same item a sequence number.

Please identify the Category, then provide as much of the Item information as possible (not all data points are expected):
• Type
• Material
• Designer / Maker
• Markings
• Origin
• Label
• Date / Era
• Dimensions
• Description (as detailed as necessary)

Send submissions to: [email protected]

NOTE: By submitting images, you agree that the images will be watermarked, and the watermarked images become the property of International Perfume Bottle Association (IPBA) and are strictly for the use within IPBA’s Virtual Museum and IPBA social media. Please do not submit copyrighted images unless you own the copyright, and are giving permission for the IPBA to use the image.  IPBA reserves the right to include, reject, or reassign items according to the designated museum categories.

Thank you for sharing your exceptional items for the benefit of all IPBA members!

How do I submit a correction to a Virtual Museum item?

The IPBA Virtual Museum team strives to make the VM as informative and accurate as possible, but we do sometimes make mistakes.  If you have spotted one, please use the Contact Us page to let us know.  Please select “Webmaster” as the recipient, and “Correction to Virtual Museum Item”.  The Virtual Museum only gets stronger when the entire membership adds to the knowledge base!

Why can't I copy text from a Virtual Museum Description?

The Virtual Museum text appears white on the web page.  If you copy the text and paste it into an application that allows color formatting of text (such as Word, PowerPoint, or an email), the text is there, but you can’t see it because it is white.  Instead, try pasting the text first into an application like Notepad, which always shows the text as black.  Then copy from Notepad and paste into your desired application.

How can I limit my search to a specific category within the Virtual Museum?

Underneath the search text box is a gold link “Search in specific categories”.  Click the link, and a Categories text box will appear.  When you put the cursor in that field, a list of categories will appear.  You may select one or more categories in which to search.  Enter the search text to the left, and click the search button.

Resources

How can I have my website linked from the IPBA website?

One benefit of your IPBA Membership is a free listing and link on the IPBA’s RESOURCES page. First, create the website and URL address that IPBA members will find relevant and valuable, then verify with IPBA’s Webmaster to establish your link on IPBA’s website. IPBA reserves the right to refuse to link or discontinue a link to a site if it is deemed that the site no longer meets the mission or the objectives of IPBA. You are also strongly encouraged to reference and link IPBA’s website on your website.