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Details
used MIDDLE GROUP: 3ca. terracotta, printing 37A, on wove paper, margins small to touched and the stamp cancelled by a faint strike of the "SHANGHAI/LOCAL POST" c.d.s. in blue dated "FE 3/66" the only recorded used of this postmark on this printing. This stamp shows the varieties from the final state of this printing, space between "H A" of "SHANGHAI" and dropped "C" of "CANDAREENS" as well as a printing mark on the tail of the dragon. A unique and very important stamp which concludes the character shifts and varieties of this short-lived printing. Photo
Further details
The number of stamps recorded on laid paper is four unused and five to six used (Chow) whilst on wove paper there is only one unused and now three used.
From the few examples of this printing it is apparent that there are five states.
State 1 "HA" without space, "C" in line
State 2 "HA" small space, "C" in line
State 3 "H A" small space, "C" high
State 4 "H A " space, "C" high, mark on dragon's tail
State 5 "H A" space, "C" low, partly cleaned mark on dragon's tail
Stamps on laid paper are from states 1 or 2. Wove paper examples are from state 1 (David and Horne), state 3 (Chow), state 4 (unused, Chow) and the new state 5 as offered above.
The weakening of the mark on the dragon's tail between states 4 and 5 indicate that very few impressions were taken between the printing of these two stamps. This suggests that the elements of the printing block became loose very quickly
From the few examples of this printing it is apparent that there are five states.
State 1 "HA" without space, "C" in line
State 2 "HA" small space, "C" in line
State 3 "H A" small space, "C" high
State 4 "H A " space, "C" high, mark on dragon's tail
State 5 "H A" space, "C" low, partly cleaned mark on dragon's tail
Stamps on laid paper are from states 1 or 2. Wove paper examples are from state 1 (David and Horne), state 3 (Chow), state 4 (unused, Chow) and the new state 5 as offered above.
The weakening of the mark on the dragon's tail between states 4 and 5 indicate that very few impressions were taken between the printing of these two stamps. This suggests that the elements of the printing block became loose very quickly