Sale 60 The Jane and Dan Sten Olsson Collection of Large Dragons

China, Essay of Accepted Design with "Extra Circle" : Large Dragon 3ca. vermilion [23] imperforate proof on thin wove gummed paper with 11mm. sheet margin at foot, very fine.
Estimate HK$ 10,000 - 12,000

The largest recorded multiples of the 3 candarins essay on thin paper are blocks of four, of which only three have survived, in addition to three pairs. Using multiples and two marginal singles, we have reconstructed twenty-three of the twenty-five positions on the sheet. It appears that there were only two sheets printed on thin paper.

The 3 candarins was most probably the first value printed, which helps to explain the early experimentation with two different types of paper.