Henry Altemus Company

The following are questions submitted via email by our visitors.

If you have a question about Altemus books that you'd like answered please click on the Questions link at the bottom left of this page.

Young People's Library-Format 1

Q:  Hi. Is this an original 1895 First edition? Thank you.

A:  I cannot see the pictures on the side very well.

The 1895 book has 1895 on the title page and the ads opposite only go to Through the Looking Glass.

See Young People's Library-Format 1 for dating your book.

A. 1895 (early) Title page 1895 with front ads to Through the Looking-Glass
B. 1895 (late) Title page 1895 with front ads to Gulliver's Travels
C. 1896 Title page 1896 and/or with front ads to Grimm's Fairy Tales
D. 1897 (early) Front ads to Grimm's Fairy Tales/ back ads to Black Beauty
E. 1897 Front ads to Black Beauty/ back ads to Black Beauty
E. 1897 (late)/Early 1898 Front ads to Flower Fables

The 1895 book sells anywhere from $0-100.

Yours is not in the best shape however so it is hard to know what price it might bring.

Vademecum Series

Q:  I received this book from my grandmother upon her death. I think it is the Vademecum series. The binding is in poor shape, and the last two pages of the book, one is torn and one is loose. There are no dates printed on any page.

If possible, I would like to know the book's print date and if it is of any monetary value. It is a darling book and is of high sentimental value to me.

A:  It is a 1907 book. See Series 180

It is part of the Vademecum Series which was a Altemus series of reprints. The covers changed yearly.

It only has nominal value.

Young People's Library Format 4

Q:  Hello- I have a copy of John Bunyan's book The Pilgrims Progress. It's in format 4 - 5 good condition. Do you know when it was printed?

A:  It was published between 1923-1933. The date can be narrowed down by studying the ads in the back of the book.

A review on dating this format is at Young People's Library Format 4

Copies are still in circulation today as a used book.

Boys and Girls Classics Series (New)

Q:  I have a family book of A Child's Garden of Verses by R. L. Stevenson that was part of the Young Peoples Library with a copyright of 1902. In looking at your website, the design of the dust jacket matches what I believe is the Series 57 Boys and Girls design with the ship pattern, however I do not see that particular book in your photographs. Could you confirm the attached photo and possibly provide information regarding its value?

A:  Yes you are correct about the series that your book is from. Your cover is not a dust jacket but rather the cover of the book. The jacket is quite different.

Not every possible title is shown on the website. Instead I have used representative pictures of each format.

The various covers from this series can be seen at: Series 57

These books generally sell for only a few dollars if they sell at all.

Beauxarts Series

Q:  After attempting to identify one of my books on your website, I can see why so many people are mis-identifying their Altemus books. I would like to avoid that with your help, if possible. I am now totally confused. I have an Altemus hard cover, TWICE TOLD TALES, Nathanial Hawthorne, Henry Altemus Philadelphia, 6" x 4-1/4" x 1", dark blue cover, gold leaf floral design on cover, black & white illustrations. 4 blank pages precede the title page. Title & author name in red, framed by green flowing floral design surround with publisher & city on bottom ribbon. A Greek or Roman Head symbolic portrait at top of page. Another blank page & then a portrait of Hawthorne in black & white, opposite another title page framed in green floral motif, surrounding title, author & printer in red. Any help as to which series, year or set this belongs to would be greatly appreciated.

A:  This book belongs in the Beauxarts Series. This series published numerous reprints in the areas of the classics, fiction, poetry, etc.

Every year had a new cover. Your book dates from 1897.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  Can you provide information on this book.

Evangeline and Other Poems

Henry Altemus Company

If you could provide value, that would be nice.

A:  Your book is part of the Petit Trianon Series.

During the years of this series' publication, the cover and to a lesser degree the titles were changed every year or two.

The "pedestal" books were published in 1903-1904. If you look at the pictures, you can see that this format came in suede, pink, blue, and beige.

The suede books are the least common in this format but because the books are all late reprints, they have little value.

You never know when someone just has to have a certain book so you never can be certain what price a book might bring. Generally speaking though, your book only has nominal value.

Beauxarts Series

Q:  Can you help me identify this book? Can you tell me something of its value. Inside there is an inscription: "Florence Constance Kilbourn Xmas 1904 From Santa Claus Parkhill" that would be (Ontario, Canada).

A:  Your book was published as part of the Beauxarts Series between 1899-1901.
It has only nominal value.

Vademecum Series

Q:  I am wondering if this is a first edition and its approximate value. Thank you so much for your time.

Weird Tales by Edgar Allen Poe
Illustrated
Henry Altemus Company
Copyright 1895 by Henry Altemus
258 pages Excellent condition (It looks as if the book was never read)

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series which is a series of reprints. Your book is not a first edition. Altemus published no Poe first editions. This book was published in 1903. During this year the cover came in a number of colors with one of more than 40 illustrations.

Beauxarts Series

Q:  I'm looking for any information about this particular copy of this children's book and the author. My copy is in great shape, no pages missing, the cover spotted but in tact. I believe it to be my grandmother's, and I'm wanting to pass this along to my granddaughter for her birthday.

I find limited info about the author. The book has no publishing date, although I read that the original story was told about 1889, and no listing for the illustrator. Some internet data suggests with was published in Scribner, but we know better.

Any information you can provide will be appreciated.

A:  Your book is part of the Beauxarts Series and was published in 1902. This series is comprised of numerous reprints.

Altemus published this title in numerous formats. A number of publishers printed this book before Altemus. Scribner did do an early edition but in fairness I am not sure who did the first edition. It may have been Blackie in London in 1894.

I have no independent knowledge about the author but looked up her obituary which appeared in the New York Times in 1936. There is much more about her life in various online sources. Click here for the obituary.

Wee Books for Wee Folks

Q:  I have been trying to find info out about this book (The Little Puppy That Wanted to Know Too Much) and I can't find it anywhere.

A:  Your book is part of the Wee Books for Wee Folks Series. It was originally copyrighted 1920 and reprinted for a number of years thereafter.

In poor condition it has little value.