The presentation and the setting of works of art can often be works of art in themselves.  The cases for writing instruments or boxes to house objects of personal adornment are but two examples.  During the Ch’ien-lung reign (1736-95) of the Ch’ing dynasty, the emperor ‘s collections reached over a million objects.  These treasures were housed in ways that allowed an order but also a means of enjoyment for viewers.  Some of the boxes grouped similar types of work such as the following treasure box of small bronzes.

1. Chi-fan liu-hui (Auspicious Mold of Sustained Radiance) treasure box containing 10 bronzes and an illustrated catalogue album

2. Chi-fan liu-hui treasure box. Detail of two tiers of boxes with bronze objects.

3. Chi-fan liu-hui (Auspicious Mold of Sustained Radiance) Detail of bronze mold with bird after which the entire box was named.  The mold was used to mint coins.

4. Chi-fan liu-hui treasure box.  Detail: T’ang-dynasty bronze rhyton (drinking vessel) inspired by a rhyton of Syrian origins.

5. Chi-fan liu-hui treasure box.  Detail: Illustration of T’ang-dynasty bronze rhyton (drinking vessel) from the catalogue album.  The catalogue was stored under the lid of the box.

Square treasure box, with fan-shaped shelves.  The shelves are hinged at the corner so that they can swing out to reveal their contents.  This box contains 30 items of different materials and dates.

6. Square treasure box, with fan-shaped shelves,  containing 30 items.

7. Square treasure box, with fan-shaped shelves open, showing a variety of objects.

8. Square treasure box containing 30 items. Detail of open state.

9. Square treasure box, containing 30 items. Detail of base level.

Treasure box with dragon-and-phoenix designs converted from a small Ming dynasty chest.  The box containing 43 items, including a Japanese makie lacquer box, a Neolithic jade pin, and a miniature handscroll showing a painting of plum blossoms.  Wen C. Fong comments: “The jade and makie box mark the limits of the imperial collection in time and space, reaching back to the dawn of Chinese civilization, on the one hand, to beyond the empire on the other.  The treasure box is thus a microcosm of the emperor’s collection.  In this assemblage of diverse objects - cultural playthings (wen wan) for the emperor - there is a leveling process, as all objects are accorded the same treatment, be they authentic relics of antiquity or copies of masterpieces of calligraphy.”

10. Treasure box with dragon-and-phoenix designs converted from a small Ming dynasty chest.  The box containing 43 items, including a Japanese lacquer box, and a Neolithic jade pin.

11. Treasure box with dragon-and-phoenix designs containing 43 items. Details of contents.

12. Enjoying Antiquities.  Hanging scroll, ink and color on silk, by Tu Chin, ca. 1465-ca. 1509.  In this painting the collector is seen enjoying the view a objects of beauty from the past.