Yvert et Tellier

Yvert et Tellier is a French philatelic publishing company and stamp dealer based in Amiens. Its best-known activity is the production of stamp catalogs and related collecting publications, particularly for France, Andorra, Monaco, former French colonies, and the successor states associated with French colonial philately. Its catalog numbering and price references are widely used by French collectors and constitute one of the principal French alternatives to the Cérès and Dallay catalogs. Internationally, Yvert et Tellier is commonly grouped with Michel, Scott, and Stanley Gibbons as a major reference publisher for postage stamps. The business grew out of the Yvert family's printing operation. The family printing works had been established in Amiens in 1831 to produce a legitimist newspaper. By the 1890s, the company was managed by Louis Yvert, grandson of the founder, with Théodule Tellier serving as chief printer. Tellier was also a philatelist and had expanded the printing business into philatelic journalism through L'Écho de la timbrologie. Louis Yvert became interested in stamp collecting through Tellier, and the two partners redirected a significant part of the business toward philatelic publishing in 1895. Their first worldwide stamp catalog and stamp album appeared in November 1896. The catalog gained attention for its systematic and durable numbering approach. At a time when competing catalogs could renumber stamps after newly discovered issues were identified, Yvert et Tellier sought to preserve a stable numbering system, making the references more practical for collectors, dealers, and album users. The company also developed a long-running commercial relationship with the Paris stamp dealer Théodore Champion. Beginning in 1900, Champion supplied and priced unused stamps from around the world, linking Yvert's bibliographic reference work with an international stamp-trading operation. The partnership's formal structure changed in 1913, when Tellier sold his share to Louis Yvert following a family bereavement. Yvert nevertheless retained Tellier's name in the company and catalog imprint, preserving the identity under which the publishing business had become known. During the interwar period, responsibility was distributed among later members of the family: Henri Yvert managed the printing works, Pierre Yvert directed L'Écho de la timbrologie, and Jean Gervais handled publishing activities. The company consequently remained both a printing and editorial enterprise rather than merely a catalog publisher. After Théodore Champion died in 1955, Pierre Yvert and the brothers Ladislas and Alexandre Varga acquired Champion's business. The resulting operation continued Champion's role in establishing prices for Yvert et Tellier's publications. The company also maintained its connection with the wider Yvert publishing and periodical organization, including L'Écho de la timbrologie and related collecting material. Yvert faced stronger competitive pressure in France after the appearance of the Dallay catalog in 2001. Dallay emphasized larger stamp images and additional descriptive information, including artists, engravers, first dates of issue, and usage details. In response, Yvert defended the commercial and intellectual importance of its numbering system and expanded the usefulness of its own products, including distribution of a free CD-ROM with its French stamp catalog. In March 2005, following intervention by the French Conseil de la concurrence, Yvert agreed to make its stamp numbers available for use by other publishers. In June 2006 it introduced a less expensive pocket edition of its French stamp catalog, focused on images and prices, in a format also adopted by competitor Cérès. The company has continued to be associated with the Yvert family. The grandsons of Pierre Yvert and Jean Gervais were described as running the company from the 1990s onward, although specific current executive details are not established in the supplied reference material. Yvert's publications cover stamps issued worldwide; its non-European material has traditionally been organized alphabetically by country or territory, while Michel generally uses a geographic classification. From 2008, Yvert began issuing full-color catalogs for non-European countries, broadening the visual and reference utility of its international range.

Yvert et Tellier emerged from a family printing business founded in Amiens in 1831. The original operation printed a legitimist newspaper and was later owned by Louis Yvert, the founder's grandson. During the 1890s, the company's chief printer, Théodule Tellier, introduced Louis Yvert to philately. Tellier had already broadened the business by adding the specialist periodical L'Écho de la timbrologie to the publications produced by the printing works. In 1895, Yvert and Tellier began developing philatelic books. Their worldwide stamp catalog and album, published in November 1896, achieved rapid success. Its principal innovation was a logical numbering system intended to remain stable when previously unknown stamps were discovered. Stable numbering gave collectors a consistent way to identify issues and use catalogs over time, and it became a defining feature of the Yvert reference tradition. The company formed an important commercial association with Paris stamp dealer Théodore Champion in 1900. Champion handled unused stamps from around the world and established prices that were incorporated into Yvert-related catalog and dealing activities. Tellier sold his share to Louis Yvert in April 1913 after the death of his young grandson. Despite the change in ownership, Yvert kept Tellier's name in the company identity as a mark of their partnership. The family prepared a succession structure during the 1920s and 1930s. Henri Yvert was responsible for the printing works, Pierre Yvert managed L'Écho de la timbrologie, and Jean Gervais took responsibility for publishing. Following Champion's death in 1955, Pierre Yvert and Ladislas and Alexandre Varga acquired Champion's company and maintained its price-setting role in the broader Yvert operation. These arrangements connected printing, philatelic journalism, catalog publishing, and stamp dealing within a largely family-run enterprise. Yvert's catalog became a central French reference, particularly for France, Andorra, Monaco, former French colonies, and the philatelic histories of territories that later became independent states. The publisher also produced worldwide coverage. Its non-European catalogs were traditionally arranged alphabetically, in contrast with Michel's geographically organized approach. Yvert's international standing placed it alongside Michel, Scott, and Stanley Gibbons as one of the principal global stamp catalog publishers. The company entered a more competitive phase after Dallay released a catalog in 2001. Dallay used larger stamp images and supplied information such as artist or engraver names, first issue dates, and usage notes, areas where collectors considered the established Yvert format less comprehensive. Yvert responded by defending its numbering system and adding a free CD-ROM to its French stamp catalog. In March 2005, following the involvement of the Conseil de la concurrence, it agreed to license its stamp numbers to other publishers. In June 2006, it introduced a cheaper pocket edition of the French catalog containing principally images and prices, paralleling a format also used by Cérès. From 2008, Yvert expanded the use of full-color printing in catalogs covering non-European countries. The change improved the visual presentation of stamps beyond the company's earlier black-and-white treatment of much non-European content. The business remains associated with the Yvert family; the grandsons of Pierre Yvert and Jean Gervais were identified as managing the company from the 1990s. Specific details about present-day management, ownership structure, revenue, and corporate registration are not established by the supplied sources.

• 2008

  Color printing expanded to non-European catalogs

  [1]Yvert et Tellieren.wikipedia.org

  Yvert began issuing full-color catalogs for non-European countries, improving the presentation of its international reference range.

• 2006

  French pocket catalog launched

  [1]Yvert et Tellieren.wikipedia.org

  The company launched a lower-cost pocket version of its French stamp catalog, focused on pictures and prices.

• 2005

  Numbering system made available to other publishers

  [1]Yvert et Tellieren.wikipedia.org

  Following intervention by the Conseil de la concurrence, Yvert agreed to sell use of its stamp numbers to other publishers.

• 2001

  Dallay enters the French catalog market

  [1]Yvert et Tellieren.wikipedia.org

  The Dallay catalog introduced a significant competitive challenge through larger images and expanded descriptive content.

• 1955

  Champion business acquired by Yvert interests

  [1]Yvert et Tellieren.wikipedia.org

  After Théodore Champion's death, Pierre Yvert and Ladislas and Alexandre Varga acquired his company and continued its pricing role.

• 1913

  Tellier sells his share

  [1]Yvert et Tellieren.wikipedia.org

  Théodule Tellier sold his share to Louis Yvert, while the established Yvert et Tellier name was retained.

• 1900

  Association with Théodore Champion

  [1]Yvert et Tellieren.wikipedia.org

  Yvert et Tellier began working with Paris dealer Théodore Champion, who supplied and priced unused stamps from around the world.

• 1896

  First worldwide catalog and stamp album

  [1]Yvert et Tellieren.wikipedia.org

  The partners published a worldwide stamp catalog and album in November, using a stable numbering approach that helped establish the brand's reference authority.

• 1895

  Entry into philatelic publishing

  [1]Yvert et Tellieren.wikipedia.org

  Louis Yvert and Théodule Tellier redirected part of the family printing operation toward philatelic books and reference works.

• 1831

  Yvert family printing works established

  [1]Yvert et Tellieren.wikipedia.org

  The Yvert family established a printing business in Amiens, initially producing a legitimist newspaper.

A specialist French philatelic reference publisher built around stable stamp numbering, catalog authority, price information, and long-standing expertise in French and former French territories. The brand serves collectors, dealers, and researchers, combining publishing with stamp dealing and philatelic journalism.

• Philatelic reference publishing · 1896

  Yvert et Tellier stamp catalogs

  The company's core product line consists of catalogs identifying and pricing postage stamps from France and countries and territories around the world. The catalogs are especially important for French philately, including France, Andorra, Monaco, former French colonies, and related successor states. Their enduring numbering system is designed to provide continuity for collectors and dealers. International volumes traditionally use alphabetical country organization for non-European material, and the company expanded color presentation for these catalogs from 2008.

• National philatelic reference

  French stamp catalogs

  Yvert's French catalog range is one of its most prominent reference offerings. It combines stamp identification, catalog numbers, illustrations, and price information for French issues. In response to changing competition and price sensitivity, the company introduced a lower-cost pocket format in 2006 containing mainly images and prices, alongside its fuller reference editions.

• Philatelic price catalog

  Ancienne Maison Théodore Champion catalogs

  Continuing the commercial tradition associated with Théodore Champion, the Ancienne Maison Théodore Champion produces monthly and annual color catalogs covering newly issued stamps from around the world. These publications extend Yvert's role from historical cataloging into current-issue coverage and pricing.

• Philatelic periodical

  L'Écho de la timbrologie

  L'Écho de la timbrologie is a specialist philatelic newspaper or periodical associated with the Yvert printing and publishing operation. Its existence helped connect the company to the collecting community before Yvert et Tellier became established as a catalog publisher.

• Digital philatelic supplement

  French catalog CD-ROM

  Yvert distributed a free CD-ROM with its French stamp catalog during its response to competition from Dallay. The supplement represented an electronic extension of the printed catalog and an effort to add practical value for collectors.

• 2008

  Expand full-color production for international catalogsOther

  Background

  Yvert's non-European catalogs had generally been printed in black and white, limiting the visual consistency of the international range.

  Action taken

  The company began issuing full-color catalogs for non-European countries.

  Aftermath

  The change improved the visual reference experience for international collectors and modernized the presentation of the non-European catalog line.

  Source

• 2006

  Introduce a lower-priced pocket catalogProduct launch

  Background

  The French catalog market was facing competition from Dallay and Cérès, including products with strong visual presentation and price-focused formats.

  Action taken

  Yvert et Tellier published a cheaper pocket edition of its French stamp catalog centered on images and prices.

  Aftermath

  The pocket edition broadened the range of price and format options available to collectors, although the supplied sources do not quantify its commercial results.

  Source

• 2005

  License the Yvert stamp numbering systemStrategy

  Background

  The company's numbering system had become a central competitive asset in the French philatelic catalog market. Competitive developments and pressure from the French Conseil de la concurrence challenged Yvert's control over how those numbers could be used.

  Action taken

  Yvert et Tellier agreed to sell the use of its stamp numbers to other publishers.

  Aftermath

  The decision opened the numbering reference to wider publisher use while the Yvert catalog continued to retain its established position in French philately.

  Source

1. 1Yvert et Tellieren.wikipedia.org
2. 2Yvert et Tellier official websiteyvert.com