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China 1888 Small Dragons 5can Scott no. 15, Chan no. 21, block of 25 MNH ** with the most delightful, impeccable and well preserved gum there could possibly be on this issue, absolutely un-toned and totally unmounted whatsoever, the block consists of the complete right pane from the sheet of 40 stamps (which was divided into two panes of 20 stamps each), the vertical gutter from between the panes, a complete column of five stamps from the left pane and 100% complete sheet margins all around, with clean cut perforations approximately 11½ - 11¾ (although most stamps are perforated about 11¾) and in the most pristine condition any philatelist could dare to barely dream of. The stamps are extraordinarily well centered throughout and they possess stunningly fresh colour, which is a clear indication that this block has been tucked away safely and hasn’t seen much light in its 120 years of life so far, the perforations are completely sound and intact throughout, with not even one “blind†hole whatsoever (on 25 stamps + various margins!), the gum on the back is truly untouched and it hasn’t been hinged AT ALL, not even in the extreme margins (because yes, it was applied uniformly and homogenous on the entire back side, without any skips, which is virtually unheard of for any Small Dragons stamps), and it also shows superb freshness from one end to the other (while most of the Small Dragons stamps available don’t even have any gum at all). The “Tai-Chi Diagram†watermark is in the inverted position and the block also shows some of the very popular varieties that this stamp has produced, i.e. the “round upper right cornerâ€, Chan no. 21d, on the last stamp in the last row, and the “broken first “N†of “CANDARINS†â€, Chan no. 21e, on the third stamp in the first row, thus forming se-tenant pairs with normal stamps, all of more than perfect quality. In fact, how could the quality and freshness of this block be best described? Calling it the epitome of all the large multiples of the Small Dragons 5can in existence would certainly be a downgrade from its condition… There is no separation, there are no defects, there is nothing else but quality in its purest and rarest form, one that goes beyond the highest standards of philately and triggers that unique and refined sense which makes only the most knowledgeable and passionate philatelists appreciate it at its real value and experience the highest peaks of philatelic enlightenment… And yet, there is even more to it than that: Of course that I could go on and on about the incredible trend that Chinese philately currently has, and about how significant this block is, because of its uniqueness in this post office fresh quality, for the entire Chinese philately and for the world classical philately in general, or even about what a key addition it would make to any collection of highly selected gems or even what a great investment value it has, and so on and so forth. Then again, there are quite a number of very good philatelists out there who already know all this, and they don’t need to hear it twice. And those who don’t know it already, could research it with a bit of work and dedication. However, what can’t be “researched†or “standardised†are the quality, aspect and rarity of this block, all three combined to produce that special feature, that indescribable something which makes philately the dazzling art and science that it is. And this block must be at the top of the pyramid of philatelic refinement from any philatelic point of view it would be looked at. I am currently offering two other very important Small Dragons lots, besides this superb multiple. The three of them form an impressive and impossible to duplicate trio which constitutes a staggering opportunity for both the finest collectors and the wisest investors alike. Each lot is of immense rarity in its own right and does not appear on the market at all, generally, let alone on eBay. In order to view the other China lots I am offering, as well as the other worldwide classic rarities I currently have for sale, I would like to kindly invite you to please spare a couple of minutes to browse through my current auctions. You won’t be disappointed. In case of this item, especially if it will be purchased together with the other China Small Dragons lots I am currently offering, personal delivery worldwide could be arranged and, depending on several factors, I would even be willing to bear a significant part of the costs myself. However, please inquire about this possibility, as the conditions vary for each (potential) buyer in particular. IMPORTANT NOTE: I am prepared to offer the buyer a 5% DISCOUNT from the final sale price of this item IF he/she shall pay me by bank wire transfer or if we shall complete the transaction in person. If paying by any other method, other than the two described above, please be aware that there is no discount whatsoever and that the transaction shall be completed in the usual manner, just like all of my other transactions on eBay. A u t h e n t i c i t y a n d a c c u r a t e d e s c r i p t i o n a r e g u a r a n t e e d. P l e a s e r e a d b e l o w. P l e a s e c h e c k o u t m y o t h e r a u c t i o n s a s w e l l ! Please read and bear in mind the following policies before actually bidding: Description of the items All stamps are described to the best of my knowledge. I always illustrate the auction with clear, large photos (usually 600 dpi for single stamps, front and back). However, if you want an even larger photo for a certain auction of mine, please ask it (by sending me a message), and I will be glad to provide you with it. As general guidelines regarding descriptions, the condition of the items will be described as accurate as possible. All of the generally accepted major flaws which are not always visible in the pictures, regardless of the resolution (e.g. thins, etc.) will be mentioned in the description if they exist. Flaws which are clearly visible in the pictures, like missing perfs., tears, creases (especially on the back of the stamps), obvious soiling/toning, short margins on one or more sides, reinforced perfs. for multiples, etc. might not always be mentioned in the description and they alone do not constitute an acceptable reason in case of a return. Some "flaws" which are not uniformly accepted as being so, like paper adhesion on the back of a stamp, off-sets, natural gum skips or wrinkles, heavy hinging, etc. might not always be described. Repaired stamps will be described as such in all of the instances where the repair(s) is/(are) detectable and further details might not necessarily be given. Items described as repaired are not returnable on the basis of condition reasons. Returns are accepted for stamps which are found to be other than described, considering the conditions mentioned above. Authenticity of the items All of the items I am selling are guaranteed to be authentic and accurately identified, including the identification of their colour or shade. In case any of the items I have sold will turn out not to be authentic, I will offer the buyer a full refund, including the cost of shipping, the cost of the expertisation (including all the fees associated with it) and any auxiliary fees/costs which might have incurred during the transaction, in a maximum of 15 days from the moment I have received back the item (which is mandatory to be returned by registered mail). The ONLY acceptable proof for a refund in case of a return will be a negative certificate issued by a recognised and well-known expert or committee. No exceptions from this rule are accepted whatsoever. In case of the items which have the terms "sold as is" included in the description, no return will be accepted on the basis of authenticity matters. Items accompanied by certificates of authenticity or signed by various experts (not having undecipherable, unknown or bogus signatures, but signatures of well-known experts, and having this mentioned in the description), are considered to be universally genuine and no counter-expertise is accepted in this case, whatsoever. All sales which fall within this latter category are FINAL, and no return is accepted. Also, in case of certificates describing the condition of the item, this alone constitutes the description of that particular item. As a general guideline, the items I'm selling and which are accompanied by certificates of authenticity always have those certificates issued by well-recognised experts or committees. Bidding implies agreeing unconditionally with the following payment and shipping conditions (if you need special arrangements, please ask before bidding): Payment Payment has to REACH ME in a maximum of 2 weeks! I accept the following payment methods: - PayPal - MoneyBookers.com (to the e-mail address with which I am registered on eBay) - bank wire transfer – US $ or EUR (€) or GBP (£) ONLY! (Please note that it may take up to 10 days for me to receive the money. Usually it takes about 2-3 days.) Please be aware that you MUST pay all your transfer fees, and they shall not in any way be deducted from the amount you have to send me. If you need to arrange payment by other methods, please ask before bidding. I CAN’T accept checks or money orders OF ANY KIND, due to the high commissions for cashing them. I always send out an e-mail message (titled "Payment details for eBay won item(s) #...") to each of my customers right after the auction has ended, containing all the payment details he/she might need. Thank you for being so patient and waiting for it prior to asking any payment-related questions. Shipping $ 8 - Worldwide For items sold at over $ 1,500, shipping is free worldwide by FedEx. (You can also opt for FedEx shipping for any purchase at a rate of $ 55 for Europe and $ 85 for the rest of the world.) I ship only registered letters with receipt of delivery (International Avis de Réception). Shipping combined for multiple purchases! Stamps will be shipped on album pages (where shown like that) or on stockcards otherwise (or, in boxes if shown like that, etc.). Je parle français. Pas très bien, mais je le parle.
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