We specialise in all aspects of philatelic literature on a full-time basis. We have been holding regular international postal auction sales for more than twenty years, and run a well-established eBay shop with a constantly changing selection of philatelic literature of the world chosen from our extensive stock of second-hand and selected new titles. We also own the 'Harry Hayes' philatelic publishing imprint which has so far produced over sixty titles.

Our premises, a seventeenth century barn in the Yorkshire countryside, house several thousand titles, stocks of back numbers of selected journals, and an experienced packing and shipping department.
The Barn (illustrated on our website) was built about 1680 and lies alongside a Jacobean Farmhouse constructed in 1632. The property has remained in the same family ownership since then and probably before. The buildings are all listed and look out over the rolling wooded hills and rich countryside of West Yorkshire. The Barn itself is a great stone walled and stone tiled structure, about 100 feet long, with one of the finest surviving examples of a trussed and cross-beamed roof, similar to the great barns still seen in Germany but which are rare now in England. One visitor has described it as a farming cathedral, a happy description.

We are often asked about the origin of the words in our address - and indeed the actual location of our Barn is down an unmade-up lane called Six Days Only.

The address includes four Old English words, HEAH TUN which means a high farmstead, in a clearing ROD, thus Heaton Royds. Shay Lane comes from the old word SCEAGA which equals a Copse, and thus as you can see the address is in truth "The High Farmstead in the Clearing of the Copse".

The little private lane which leads to the Barn is called "Six Days Only" because for many years one of the cottagers made nettle or root beer, and sold garden produce, but would not sell it to passers by on the Sabbath, and put up a sign to say so!. Some local people can still remember this from their childhood forty to fifty years ago. The name was adopted officially by the Council probably in the 1890's and we have many postcards dating from the Edwardian era 1900-1910 showing the settlement, with that name printed on the card.

It is a colourful, pleasant and quietly historical place to work.

We took over this business from its founder Harry Hayes in January 1987, after he had built it up over a period of twenty five years. We try to run the business as a small company with a personal and friendly service.

Where possible we can advise collectors which books they might find useful for their chosen subjects, both new and out of print titles. We are collectors ourselves, holding a very large private philatelic library of books and journals which we keep for reference, and we hope that we can be of help to you in your collecting. We regret we are unable to answer questions on philately or postal history, not related to their literature - there is not enough time in the day!

The Auction Sales: each sale has about 1200 lots with an occasional larger sale. They are all postal auctions and usually they contain the material of about 90 vendors. Each sale is divided in the same way between General works, GB, Commonwealth, Europe, Americas, Asia etc., and usually embraces the whole spread of philatelic interest, including journals, auction catalogues, cinderellas, thematics and related ephemera and collectibles. Although each description is short and concise (to keep down the weight & postage cost of each catalogue) the information within these listings forms the only significant record of the availability and changing prices of philatelic literature, ordinary and rare.

Some background literature, useful to the postal historian and serious student, such as 19th & 20th century history and biography, aviation and air mail, maritime, military and railway handbooks, and historical topographical works, are also included in our sales.

We are buyers of all forms of philatelic literature, from single titles to full libraries. We are interested in ends of lines, over-runs, remainder stocks, and unusual accumulations of all philatelic literature and journals, in all languages. Foreign language items are a speciality. We also buy background historical works, and some ephemera and postcards.

We are happy to advise on the best method of selling any batch of philatelic literature, for an individual, a Society, an institution or an estate.

Please note we do NOT sell stamps, postal stationery or postal history.

Publishing: the "Harry Hayes" imprint of some sixty published titles was purchased at the same time as we acquired the main company from its founder Harry Hayes in 1987 and we are adding titles from time to time. In addition to the published titles the list contains about 80 further titles (by other publishers) of which we hold the remainder stocks.

Our stock: As well as publishing the regular postal auctions and general literature sales, HH Sales holds extensive stocks of philatelic literature of the whole world, covering all topics, representing what is probably one of the largest stocks in existence.

Naturally we cannot supply most of the rare handbooks from stock, although we do try and keep a good general range of the basic handbooks and special subject treatises on all countries, and all aspects of philately, including Cinderellas, Thematics, Exhibitions and Congresses, plus general works old and new; as well as some maps, historical background titles and works on postcards and other collectibles. We do not publish a listing of this stock as the total quantity of titles is too large and is changing too frequently. For the same reason we do not have it recorded on a computer as it would require someone to work non stop seven days a week just to create it and keep it up to date, a luxury a small company cannot afford.

Where we do not have an item requested we operate within reason a 'wants list register', to advise any interested party when and if the title wanted becomes available.

We have substantial back numbers holdings of several English Language journals. At present we have stocks of "The London Philatelist", "Gibbons Stamp Monthly/Monthly Journal/Weekly", "The Philatelist", "The Philatelic Journal of Great Britain", "The Philatelic Adviser", "Stamp Collecting Weekly", "The Philatelic Magazine", "Stamp Magazine" "Postal History", "Postal History International", "GB Jounal", "The Stamp Lover" & "Stamp World".

We are building up stocks of auction catalogues of all the major British houses and certain foreign language ones. If you have wants of any of these items why not contact us, and if you have batches of journals or auction catalogues for sale in bulk, we would be interested in hearing from you.

If you live within reasonable distance of our warehouse, or are visiting West Yorkshire, you are very welcome to come and browse, but please telephone first to ensure that there is someone here at the time you wish to visit. We supply "wants" for collectors every day of the week. If you have a specific request, please let us know (with as much detail as you can give us with regard to author, publisher and date).

If you would like to know more about us, if you have material for sale, or if you are seeking particular titles, please do contact us, by letter, telephone or fax or e-mail.

If you would like to be added to our regular emailing list, please send us an email. Sample catalogues will always be sent free on request.

Contact details:

email sales@hhsales.co.uk

HH Sales Ltd
The Barn
Heaton Royds
Shay Lane
Bradford
BD9 6SH

Tel +44 (0)1274 544446
Fax +44 (0)1274 545634