Sale 68 The Jane and Dan Sten Olsson Collection of Large Dragons Sale 3

China, Proofs : Large Dragon with Extra Circle removed 5ca. orange-yellow imperforate on thin wove paper, Setting I, block of four [1-2/6-7] with 7mm. sheet margin at top and 7mm. sheet margin at left, delicate pastel-like colour, fairly accomplished impression showing heavily impressed horizontal frame lines from the decoupage, very fine and exceptional example of this rare proof.
Estimate 300,000 - 400,000

A BLOCK OF FOUR IS THE LARGEST RECORDED MULTIPLE. ONLY THREE BLOCKS OF FOUR ARE RECORDED.

Proofs are only known from this Setting. No complete sheets have been recorded. The largest multiple known to date is a block of four. From our records of surviving multiples, there were at least three sheets of twenty-five printed (we know of three different pairs from positions [14-15]). One sheet was overinked (cf. marginal pair [6-7], ex James Senior, Robson Lowe, 6.10.1971, lot 1232), thereby necessitating the printing of other sheets.