H.e. Harris History

You just never know what you will find in the Wikipedia. Sometimes you have to check the facts, but this one seemed pretty straight forward.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Ellis_Harris

Here is a 30 page booklet H.E. Harris used to send / hand out to possible sellers. It give details about the Company with quick biographies on some of their employees as well as testimonies from people that sold to HE Harris and other selling tips. I have not been able to find a publishing date in this booklet but I'm guessing it's between 1940 - 1950.



The introduction, a quick Biography of Henry.

I remember that book ... but never used them to sell anything. Interestingly, if you web search the title, you'll see e-bay has some sellers putting these books on auction at around $9.99 (no bidders, though).

Here is a 1951 Harris catalog, 50's, 60's and early 70's I think half the kids in America would get stamp approvals from Harris and about half of those kids would not send back the approvals. Myself included and a few weeks later them nasty official business pay up letters would show up in the mail box. Man them stamp collections guys meant business, I was convinced they would hunt me down no matter where I hid. My father ended up bailing me out by sending Harris about $12 bucks, and then canceling the approval sevice. I bet some of them guys in the accounts payable section went on to work for the IRS.

His business model sound similar to this one from UK.
These approval booklets were sent out and then you could buy pages of stamps.



Sample page

I hated approvals, too. Never used them, as the majority were junk stamps anyway. Before consumer crackdowns, though, I remember as a teenager seeing an offer that I wanted for stamps in a newspaper or magazine that didn't state any approvals would be sent, so when I mailed the order I pointed out that I wanted no approvals. In response, I got my check back and a very nasty letter from the seller condemning my putting in writing the fact that I wanted no approvals. Needless to say, I never went back to that guy! (That was what gave some dealers in that day a bad name and reputation.)

Oh yes, I remember those days! Now everyone blames the internet for bad dealings, but in reality, not much has really changed...

awhile ago, I, online, filled out a form on mystics site.. to get a catalog. I did (btw I just got their new one), anyway I instantly started getting approvals... wow the crap they were selling and the prices they were selling at.. I wrote on the form I only collected US mint.. they started sending me the crap of the US stamps... 1.00 face value for 12.00.. all common, and all I already have.. I sent them back and told them to stop sending me stamps on approval unless they were going to send me pre-1900 mint never hinged.. I haven't gotten anything from them since.

Ah, Stamp Virgin that offer bit me too, All I wanted was the catalog... I got a lot of stamps and coins with a catalog and a BILL... I called and complained, they said it cost money to print catalogs they send products and Bills with the catalog. I replied that I saw no bill for the catalog just the stuff I didn't ask for. she said I could send it back and keep the catalog I stuffed it all in including the catalog saying I didn't want anything from a company that send me stamps and bills I didn't order.

Omygosh, I remember these Bahawalper stamps like it was yesterday, I hated these suckers and the bazillion other approval stamps that were sent, lemme think mmmmm... Lundy, Tonga, Ghana, Cabo Verde, Republique Centrafricaine, Du Congo, Dahomey, Aberjamastan Dunes and Eastern block CTO'S and.........

fredcdobbs

Just happened to see an ad for the Harris' 'If You Have Stamps To Sell' booklet. It was in a copy of The STAMP WHOLESALER from August 10, 1968 that I was going through. They were asking a quarter for a copy.

That is my recollection too.
Although this booklet did have a set of QE2 castles Scott#309-311 which are not too bad in comparison. Cat. today is probably $30+.

Stampvirgin, if Mystic had sent pre-1900 mint never hinged, you would probably have to taken out a second mortgage to buy them.

Early ad for H. E. Harris while he was still in Baltimore and was 17 years old

.
From Meekel's Weekly Stamp News July 19, 1919