David Feldman

David Feldman has been selling stamps from Geneva since 1967 and is among the better-known philatelic auction houses internationally. The business runs two channels: catalogued auction series held to a seasonal calendar, and private treaty sales for material that suits a negotiated price rather than a room.

What you can buy

• Classic stamps of the early European issues.
• Postal history — covers, cancellations and routes.
• Rarities sold as single named lots.
• Country and thematic collections, offered whole.

How the bidding works

Auctions run as catalogued series over several days, with the catalogue published online ahead of the sale and bids accepted in the room, by post and online. The private treaty catalogue runs separately, on a season basis, and is the route for material where an auction would be the wrong mechanism.

What to check before you bid

Certification is what separates a classic stamp from a claim about one: check which expertising body signed a lot and when, because standards and reputations differ. Postal history is priced on the route and the cancellation rather than the stamp, so read the whole description. Selling from Switzerland means the export and payment position differs from an EU sale; confirm it before bidding rather than at settlement.