David Feldman is not a name that will need any introduction to stamp collectors. The company is perhaps most famous for its sale of the Treskilling Yellow, and also sold a Mauritius 'Post Office' cover recently to collector Vikram Chand.

The company is currently expanding, and this week presents its first auction from a new base in Hong Kong.

Some of the highlights include two of the oldest stamp issues in existence:

The first is a stunning Penny Black cover with a Plate 8 AG-AL strip of six with good to very large margins, tied by black Maltese Cross cancels, sent to Aberdeen with Edinburgh with dispatch circular date stamp and boxed arrival date stamp on the reverse.

The stamps show the first state before the development of the ""O"" flaw, with filing folds well clear of the stamps. Though a trifle soiled, the lot is otherwise in fine condition, attractive and an extremely rare multiple on cover. It is expected to sell for HK$230,000-250,000 (US$32,200).

Double Geneva cover

The second is an 1843 10C Double Geneva cover with extremely rare paper variety V pre-printing paper fold with large margins and a very pleasing deep fresh green shade, cancelled by a Geneva Rosette on folded entire to Frontenex.

The auctioneer notes that they know of no other Double Geneva of this variety. The unique cover is expected to sell for HK$300,000-350,000 (US$45,000) in the sale which takes place on May 14-15. Watch this space for more news on this exciting sale.