JAKXXX3 said:
Is there a way to be sure whether the "pixellated speckling" is how the original file was saved, and that the compression from the 1280 version merely masked it?

It should be obvious. Edit 3 shows an even more blatant example of how an original image lost detail. It gained file size from being downsized and made blurry!

Add: elpatrixf may have some larger tumblr images but the original tumblr was deleted so the direct URLs are needed. This could apply to other artists. Everyone should add the tumblr post link and the direct link to the source field.