Dowager Imperial Noble Consort Ronghui (1856-1933) was a member of the Manchu Bordered Blue Banner Sirin Gioro clan. She received the title 'Noble Lady Jin' from the Tongzhi Emperor (1856-1875) when she entered the Forbidden City in November 1872 at the age of 17. She continued to hold elevated positions.

After the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1912, Emperor Xuantong (1906-1967), along with other members of the royal family, retained their noble titles. In 1922, in celebration of Emperor Xuantong's wedding, Sirin Gioro was further honored with an elevated title and was presented with this golden investiture book.
 
These gold plates were carefully wrapped with silk and placed inside a golden lacquer wood box. One end of the wrap is secured with a ribbon tiding a round coin inscribed with "Peace Under Heaven" in both regular Chinese script and Manchu script on either side.

Kashmir shawls possess a rich history, having been a part of sophisticated male dress at the court of Mughal Emperor Akbar (1555–1605). These shawls are made of fine and expensive pashmina wool, which comes from the soft under-hair of the Himalayan goat. These light and warm shawls can be worn as a head wrap, around the waist, or draped around the shoulders. Large Kashmir shawls are often made in sections, first woven on a narrower loom, then pieced together, embroidered with floral or paisley patterns that cover the entire shawl, lined with a checkered border, and decorated with a wool fringe.

This wine-colored Baluchari sari is intricately woven and is known for its depictions of narrative scenes woven with gold thread. The center of this sari is adorned with paisley patterns, while the border features scenes depicting characters in Western attire on a steamboat, reflecting the lifestyle of the British colonial period in the 19th century.

A drawstring pouch is a small sac people carried around for practical and decorative purposes. It was originally used to hold coins or small items, and in daily conversation, it was also commonly referred to as a wallet or personal possession. Over time, it gradually evolved into a beautifully crafted decorative accessory.
Drawstring purses embroidered with auspicious motifs are gifts that denote close friendship and intimacy. Not only would young ladies personally make and give purses to their beloved ones or friends, but during the Qing imperial court's New Year celebrations, drawstring purses were also given as presents to palace officials and members of noble families. Recipients of these gifts would wear the imperial purse on their lapel or hang it in front of their palace gates to show their appreciation for the emperor's favor.

A yellow label is attached to this drawstring pouch. It reads, 'one porcelain plate with Persian writing,' in Chinese. Records from the archives of the imperial workshop indicate that the Qianlong Emperor ordered the use of floral muslin fabric to make pouches for storing exotic objects. It can be inferred that this cloth cover also adhered to the Qianlong Emperor's order.

The openwork dragon-patterned gilt silver pen case holds bamboo pens of different sizes. Small loops are situated on the sides of both the upper and lower parts of the case, allowing them to be threaded together and fastened around one’s waist for convenient access. This also serves as a marker of the wearer's status as a literate and knowledgeable individual.

In the Dutch East Indies, people would smoke homemade cigarettes known as “daun nipah” which were wrapped with dried nipah leaves and stored in pouches like this one. Carrying a beaded cigarette pouch was considered a delightful and tasteful accessory

From the 18th to the 19th century, the Coromandel Coast of India exported a significant amount of hand-painted kalamkari fabric to Europe. This fabric not only benefited from fine, high-quality Indian cotton but also from India's exceptional painting and dyeing techniques. Consequently, kalamkari fabric became immensely popular in the Middle East and Europe. The demand for it grew to the point where many European nations had to introduce sumptuary laws regarding kalamkari fabric. In addition to being used for creating breathable and colorful garments, this cotton fabric was primarily employed for bedding and home decor.

Decoration was important to firefighters’ garments, which were far from purely utilitarian uniforms. Firefighters enjoyed respect and high status in urban Japan, especially in Edo period. Commoners wore reversible jackets (hikeshi-banten) made of thick, quilted cotton fabric for fire-resistant, with a plain indigo-dyed exterior and an elaborately decorated interior. This traditional Japanese firefighter's jacket features the words 'Mikkabi Fire Brigade, Division Six' embroidered on both the right and left lapels. The inside of the quilted jacket here depicts a carp leaping over the dragon gate amidst turbulent waves, symbolizing the auspicious power of rushing waters capable of extinguishing fires.

In Japanese culture, Butterflies have long been associated with the idea of transformation and beauty because of its metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly. Butterflies flying in darkness is also seen as an auspicious sign. It symbolizing love, joy, resilience, hope, and freedom. “Butterfly” in Japanese is pronounced chō, which sounds like the word for “long” (長), so the motif also symbolizes for enduring love and longevity. 

Throughout ancient times, the exquisite artistic patterns adorning kimonos have mirrored the delicate sensibilities of the Japanese people towards the changing seasons and the evolving social conventions within their history. The Treasure Collection, known as Takara-zukushi, refers to auspicious patterns featuring various treasures and lucky charms, with origins in Chinese and Buddhist auspicious motifs. These concepts were introduced to Japan during the Muromachi period (1336-1573) and were subsequently blended with Japanese mythological elements to create the distinctive patterns we recognize today.

Objects decorated with a wrapping or sash symbolize blessings for longevity and happiness. Due to its unique design and auspicious meaning, it has not only been appreciated by the rulers and subjects of the Qing Dynasty but also deeply cherished in Japan and Korea.