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Auction: 16012 - Meiso Mizuhara, The Exhibition Collections, The Chinese Customs Post
Lot: 1516

China
1878-83 The Large Dragon Issue
Design Essays and Proofs
The Elephant Essay: the third fine brush design in this series with the design and Chinese characters in black with the frame, country and value (cash) in brown. The alternative values are written to the left.


The design features a ceremonial elephant carrying a pot of growing cycas and there are two bats flying in the sky. These are auspicious symbols, the elephant signifies great happiness and the Chinese name for a bat is fu, which sounds similar to the word for happiness. The cycas convey the significance of perpetual change.


The legs on the elephant in the sketch are rather wrinkly. Here is another unique and desirable example of this charismatic design which was put forward for further refinement and trials

provenance: Sir Robert Hart,

John A. Agnew,

Sir Percival David, October 1970

Sold for
HK$3,000,000