A great lover of old stamps and an experienced collector, Henri Marchand has been circulating select booklets with philatelic societies since 1968. At the same time and from the same source, he enriched his own collections, focusing his attention on the study of seated and standing Helvétias. As a former pilot, however, his passion naturally led him towards aerophilately and Zeppelin mail. In 1971, he decided to share his knowledge with other collectors by opening a store run by his wife under the name: «Studio philatélique Gisèle Marchand» in Geneva, in the Eaux Vives district. Just as passionate as her husband, Gisèle Marchand quickly built a network of loyal customers.
She expanded her contacts by organizing sales based on offers or at net prices, collaborating with other colleagues, and caring for a large retail clientele. Jean-Claude Marchand followed the established path and became a professional official expert in 1984. The various internships he completed with fellow dealers and experts in Switzerland and abroad allowed him to acquire the necessary knowledge. Since then, he has been a member of the Swiss Association of Philatelic Experts (ASEP) and has also been a member of the French Chamber of Philatelic Dealers and Experts (CNEP). In addition, he has been a member of the International Association of Philatelic Experts (AIEP) since 1994. Alongside his activities in the field of expertise, he also takes on administrative duties within the Swiss Association of Philatelic Dealers (SBHV).
Gisèle Marchand, who remained solely responsible for her store, joined her son, who had been established in 1985 in place of the Synagogue. In 1997, this synergy enabled the launch of the «Philatelic Center».
Currently, the activities are varied, as they include the purchase and sale of collections or individual stamps, from Switzerland and other countries. The sale of philatelic material and the appraisal of Swiss stamps, for auctions, dealers, as well as in the context of inheritance and insurance issues.
To keep up with the current trend, the philatelic center has been running a website since this year, which you can visit at www.philatelie-marchand.ch. The offers presented there are regularly updated and allow customers who are often far away direct access to the stock.