Living with the pieces.

Paintings: frame or scroll

Framed works are behind glass and hang from a wire or a pair of hangers like any picture. A hanging scroll hangs from its cord on a single hook, weighs almost nothing, and can be rolled and put away for a season; roll it loosely, painted side in, and keep it in a box in a dry cupboard. A handscroll is not for the wall at all: it lives rolled in its wrapper and comes out on a table, unrolled an arm's length at a time, right to left, with clean dry hands.

Height and pairs

Hang so that the center of a picture sits about 57 to 60 inches from the floor, which is eye height for most people standing. A tall scroll can go a little higher, since the eye enters it at the bottom and travels up. Two tall works side by side at the same height, four to six inches apart, read as a pair and are stronger than either alone.

Bronzes

Bronze wants nothing but a dry, dust-free spot and an occasional wipe with a soft dry cloth. Do not polish it; the dark skin is the point, and it does not come back. Keep censers away from damp windowsills and never leave water standing in one. If you burn incense in a censer, let the ash cool before you empty it, and wipe the bowl dry.

Gilt bronze

The gilding is a thin layer and wears at the high points with handling, which is why it looks the way it does. Handle the figure by the base, not by the flames or the arms, and dust it with a soft brush rather than a cloth that can catch on the openwork.

Jade and hardstone

Hardstone is tough but not unbreakable: a fall onto a tile floor can crack it. Keep small carvings away from the edge of a table and out of reach of a swinging door. Warm water and a soft cloth are all it needs. Bangles are best kept in their box when not on display.

Lacquer and the qin

Lacquer dislikes dry heat and direct sun more than anything else: keep it away from radiators, fireplaces and sunny windows, or it will crack and lift. Dust with a soft dry cloth; never use water, polish or solvents. The qin should lie flat on a padded surface or hang on two brackets that support it under the body, never by the strings.

Paper and silk

Keep paintings out of direct sunlight. Ink is stable, but colors fade over years in a sunny window and paper yellows. Paper is happiest between 40 and 55 per cent relative humidity, which is a normal house; avoid the wall above a radiator and the bathroom with a shower. Dust glazed works with a dry microfiber cloth; on unglazed paper or silk use a soft dry brush and nothing else.

Storage and moving

Keep the crate for a month after delivery; if you need to return or move a piece, it is the right box. Store works flat or upright, wrapped in a clean sheet, in a dry room, never in an attic or a garage. Wrap bronzes and stone separately so they cannot knock together.

If something goes wrong

A cracked glass, a loose hanger, a wobbly foot on a censer are all easy to fix and we will tell you how, or arrange it. A mark on paper, a chip in stone or a lifted patch of lacquer should be left alone and photographed; write to us before touching it.