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.

Marqueterie Series

Q:  This is a book I received in my great aunt’s estate. It is published in 1895 by Henry Altemus, Philadelphia. The picture attached is true to the colors. Holmes' Poems
Does it have any value?

A:  This book is part of the Marqueterie Series. These volumes were published only in one format in 1899. All of the titles in this series are reprints.

The books are not very common but only a few very collectible titles have any significant value. Your book only has nominal value.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Can you tell me what this book might be worth?

The Last Essays of Elia by Charles Lamb
Published by Henry Altemus, Philadelphia
Copyright 1899

A picture of the cover is attached. The book is in very good condition.

A:  This book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1901. It is a reprint as are all of the titles of this series. During 1901 these volumes' covers were published in a number of different colors with more than 40 different appliqué pictures being possible. They were sold within a labeled box.

Since your book is a reprint of a not very collectible title, it only has nominal value.

Some books from this series are shown here.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Can you identify this book? Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow

A:  This book is from the Vademecum Series and was published in 1904. As with all of the titles in this series, it is a reprint.

In 1904 this cover was published in a number of colors. In addition four different appliqué flower pictures were used. It originally was sold within a labeled box. See here.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Twice Told Tales
What is the worth of this book? Good Condition.

A:  This book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1898. During that year this cover was seen in a number of different colors. See here for some examples.

As with all of the titles in this series it is a reprint. Since your book does not have an exceptionably sought after title, it only has nominal value.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  Attached are pictures of Spines and Covers we are unable to identify.
Two Years Before the Mast

A:  This cover format is part of the Petit Trianon Series and was published in 1907. During this year there is a center front cover appliqué surrounded by acorns. There are four different flower picture appliqués in this 1907 format.

These books originally came within a labeled box. All of the titles in this series are reprints. The four flower pictures as well as a representative box are shown here.

Shakespeare's Plays

Q:  My name is Jesse Roth and I am a volunteer at a bookstore in Bluffton, Ohio called Book Reviews. We received as a donation a set of 39 of William Shakespeare's Plays. Using your website, I have determined that our set is of the Format 7 variety, which was published from 1906-1933. I was wondering if you could tell me how to precisely date the set? Or is it that each book in the set was published within that range of dates? Also, they are used and in good condition, is there any way you could tell me how much they're worth?

A:  The Format 7 books were published continuously between 1906 and 1933. The title pages of the earlier format 7 books are red (later are black).

See Shakespeare's Plays for more information about this format. Originally all these volumes were all housed in a large box.

These books are very common. Most often when offered for sale, there are no bidders. A few dollars for each book would be reasonable. You might get a bit more if your books have dust jackets.

Examples of the dust jacket and the box are shown here.

Vademecum Series

Q:  To whom it may concern,
I recently lost my Mother and found this Lucile in her belongings with a handwritten enscription of 1904. Any information would be so helpful.

A:  This book was published in 1902 as part of the Vademecum Series.

All of the books in this series are reprints. In 1902 these volumes were published in a number of different colors with more than 40 appliqué pictures possible for the front cover.

Some examples are shown here.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Could you please tell me the age of this book (Uncle Tom's Cabin) and how much I would ask for it since I'm trying to sell it? Please let me know at your earliest convenience.

A:  This book is part of the Vademecum Series (http://www.henryaltemus.com/series/series180.htm) and was published between 1909 and 1912. It was originally sold within a red labeled box.

Although it is a well known title, this edition is a reprint and because of the huge number of reprints available, it only has nominal value.

Shown here is a sample box.

Altemus Bible

Q:  Good afternoon Altemus expert,
My siblings and I recently inherited my Father’s 1895 Philadelphia Edition (see attached photo’s.) We’re having trouble finding information on the Internet about its resale value. Can you help us?

A:  Bibles were a mainstay of the Henry Altemus publishing firm in the 1880's and 1890's. (http://www.henryaltemus.com/bibles/bibles.htm). Photographic albums which had been a large Altemus revenue producer were replaced by Bibles in the 1880's just as books replaced Bibles in the 1890's.

I have seen 62 different cover variants (yours is shown as B8 on the Bible webpage) of the oversized Bibles which were published between 1884 and the mid-1890's. Bibles of the 1870's had covers similar to the Altemus photographic albums.

The contents of these latter Bibles varied (see webpage) and most had Gustave Dore illustrations. They are large heavy books and because of that are somewhat hard to find with perfect bindings.

Numerous companies published similar Bibles during this era and because of that most of them have little value. Bible collectors generally will not pay more than $50-75 even when the Bibles are in pretty good shape.

Vademecum Series

Q:  I have a first series edition of Emerson's Essays that I bought a few years back. It's a beautiful book, and one of the most valued item I own to me. I want to find out the year it was published. As I said, it's a first edition, Altemus, and was published in Philadelphia, PA. Here are pictures of the book itself.

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1899. It is a reprint-not a first edition.

By 1899 Altemus had published this title in numerous formats. Other publishers also printed this book in many different series prior to your book's publication.

Emerson died in 1882 and these Essays were published first in the 1840's.

It only has nominal value.