BID FORMS

Click here for bid form in PDF format

Click here for bid form in MS Word format

Note there is no buyer premium (just p&p extra on hammer price

 

Contact: Simon Richards: Heathercombe House, Drayton St Leonard, Wallingford, 0X10 7BG Tel: 0771 368 4263 e-mail: auction@wipsg.org

Please note only society members eligible to bid, however paperless membership only £8pa -see this page

 

DESCRIPTION AND VALUATION OF LOTS: 

We try not to get carried away by the enthusiasm of a seller, or the tendency of less specialised auctions to value too low or too high. Our estimates aim to be fair to both buyer and seller, and often give a guide to condition and quality. 

A lot of trouble is taken over description, and words such as ‘rare’ or ‘scarce’ are not used lightly. 

In ascending order we describe condition as ‘poor’, ‘fair’, ‘good’, ‘fine’, ‘very fine’, and so on. Defects are usually noted; where nothing is said about the condition we consider the standard of the item to be broadly acceptable, but there are likely to be occasional faults amongst a group of stamps or covers; and when the interest lies in the postal markings, less attention is paid to the condition of a stamp or cover. Scans are generally provided, either in the catalogue or on the website, for all individual lots where the estimate is £60 or more. Any scanned image is deemed to be part of the description.

Where stamps have not been used, ‘unused’ will mean little or no gum, ‘mint’ means – apparently unmounted, and descriptions in between speak for themselves; however, ‘m’ applied to a group of stamps indicates only that those stamps have not, in our opinion, been used. 

We do our best to describe lots accurately and the descriptions reflect our opinion. Where a lot is rejected on grounds that are considered appropriate, the purchase price will be repaid. Beyond that the Society cannot accept liability of any kind arising out of the auction. 

There are numerous lots to which no describer can do justice and those who can do so are urged to attend the auction and view before bidding. 

If you have any questions regarding lot descriptions / valuations, then please contact Simon Richards (0044 (0) 771 368 4263) or email to simon@sidebell.co.uk or auction@wipsg.org. 

 

CORRECTIONS: After publication, description errors / clarifications are required at times, these will be placed on the web site, please check them out. 

Additional facilities. It is likely that others will be available on occasions or at some periods to deal with enquiries from those minded to participate in the auction. Details will be posted and updated as far as practicable on the website which members should always check before launching an enquiry. 

 

VIEWING: 

A period (11:30 to 13:00) will be available for viewing before the Auction. 

For any special facilities please contact Simon Richards as above.

 

IMAGES/SCANS: 

Images are not true size, they have been adjusted to fit on pages. 

Under the ‘pic’ column ‘front’ means front cover, ‘back’ means back cover, or page 99 etc in the printed catalogue, check the website https://wipsg.org/auction for more and fuller images of larger items which will be uploaded as they become available. 

 

EXTENSIONS: 

Should you require an extension to submit an item for expertising please inform when making the bid, and at least 48 hours before the auction. Expertising fees, for good or bad results, are to be borne by the successful bidder. 

 

BID VALUES: 

Lot s cannot normally be sold below 80% of estimate, and may be reserved up to, but not normally beyond, full estimate (indicated by a ‘R’ after the estimate). Also, the seller may compete in the auction. Postal bids are executed as economically as the competition allows. 

Bids are in sterling with normal rises of £1 to £40; £2 to £60; £5 to £120; £10 to £300; £20 to £500; four increments per £100 to £1,000; by £50 to £1500; by £100 to £2,000, then at auctioneer’s discretion. Lots are sold at about 200 an hour. 

We try to ensure absolute fair play between postal bidders and participants in person. In case of misunderstanding or dispute, the auctioneer may re-open the bidding; otherwise the fall of the hammer closes the sale. Commission from sellers is 10%. The hammer price is what the buyer pays (no buyers premium).

Where tied bids are received the earliest to arrive receives priority, BUY bids are respectfully declined.

The bids must be received by 2pm GMT (3pm BST) on Friday 10th October 2025. Within that timescale the bidder is allowed to amend the bid sheet. 

Some facilities may be available to those attending the sale and themselves in the auction room, or bidding live through a proxy still in the room. The proxy must be a seated live bidder. Members engaged in recording, distributing lots, or equivalent admin. activities are not available as proxies and the auction will not be interrupted to receive written bids at breaks in the sale. 

 

The facilities include:-- 

Updating or amendment of auction descriptions and prices 

The possible addition of lots available only in the Room 

The offer at fixed prices of additional literature items. These, if on offer, are intended to be listed, should be signed and time-dated by purchaser, to be handed to the auctioneer when the sale concludes. His decision as to priorities, and availability of any item for collection will be final. 

 

Subject to contingencies, we intend to conclude the auction at or before 5:30 pm, even if the full number of lots listed in the catalogue as listed have not been sold under the hammer. In that event written bids may be left to be dealt with post-auction as absent bids. Any decision of the auctioneer as to who is the purchaser of any item on offer, and at what price, if made in the Room or otherwise on the day of the sale, shall not be open to subsequent review. 

 

BID SUBMISSION: 

All bids received prior to the cut-off will be acknowledged, provided you leave an e-mail (for preference) or telephone contact number. If your bids have not been acknowledged it may mean they haven’t been received.

All bid forms by post should be returned to Simon Richards, Heathercombe House, Drayton St Leonard, Wallingford, Oxon OX10 7BG, United Kingdom. 

All other bids should be submitted by email either to simon@sidebell.co.uk or to auction@wipsg.org placing ‘ WIPSG AUCTION 2026’ in the subject bar, up to 14:00 BST on Friday 2 October 2025. 

As an emergency concession to those whose local time from their point of communication is six hours or more behind GMT, for the purposes only of correcting or modifying a pre-existing bid on one or more lots a telephone attempt may be made to Simon Richards +44 (0)771 368 4263), up to 09:00 BST on the day of sale. No guarantee can be given that any emergency call of this nature can be acted upon. We will simply consider what, if anything can be done in the circumstances prevailing on the day of the sale. Any last- minute attempt to submit additional bids will be disregarded but if any such attempted bids are confirmed in writing (including email) within three days of the auction, they will be treated as offers (backdated to the time of call) to buy any unsold lots listed at their prevailing offer price. 

Telephone bidding, if available this year, will be restricted to lots with an estimate of £150 or above. Requests can be made by email to auction@wipsg.org and should be subject headed “Telephone Bidding” and should be made sufficiently in advance for arrangements to be finalised. A fee will be incurred. As an alternative, the auctioneer may allow a non-member whose authority and credentials have been duly established to bid as a proxy for the absent member. Any participation by such a proxy will be binding in all circumstances on the absent bidder (look out for website updates) 

All bids are dealt with in order of receipt, and the earlier of two equal bids takes precedence; but where the bidder imposes an overall limit on his or her spending, priority may be affected by the need to respect that limit. 

 

PAYMENT 

Payment should be made in GB £ unless an exception has been agreed in advance. 

Payments in any other mode or currency must be agreed and authorised by Simon Richards who will be as accommodating as circumstances allow. Paypal is available by arrangement,the purchaser to pay the fees.