Gilded Silver Inkstone Container with Enamel Inlays, Qianlong reign (1736-1795), Qing dynasty (1644-1911), gilded silver, length: 27.2 cm, width: 22.1 cm, height: 22.5 cm © The Palace Museum. 

Made of silver, the rectangular container has a cover and eight feet in the form of heads of ruyi scepters. The bottom bears a six-character Qianlong reign mark in seal script (zhuan shu). Both the body and the cover are gilded with gold floral patterns and inlaid with blue enamel panels depicting two dragons playing with a pearl. Under the lid, the container has a silver tray with two ink wells. Inside the container is a drawer-like semi-circular indentation for holding inksticks.