Block of four containing two error pairs with selvage at right (also imperforate), full original gum (a little streaky as always on the Mollendorf printing), right pair lightly hinged, left pair appears Mint Never-Hinged, fresh color in the typical pastel shade, a couple trivial gum wrinkles that are consistent with this issue, for strict accuracy we will note two tiny perf thins on the bottom left stamp (truly insignificant)
Very fine. an important rarity of the chinese empire that has not appeared on the market in decades.
The 9-candareen and higher values of the Mollendorf issue were printed in panes of 25.. It appears that only ten imperf-between pairs were printed. We are aware of only one other block of four – ex M.F. Huang. When that block was last offered in a 2015 Zurich Asia auction, it was described as the only known block (and realized HK$437,000). That description also noted there are only four examples recorded in total. This block was obviously unknown to them, which is understandable since it has been residing in a family collection for many decades.
The 2010 Chan catalogue prices an imperforate-between pair at $25,000.00 each ($50,000.00 for the two pairs).
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