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.

Beauxarts Series

Q:  Hello, can you please provide information on this books information including authenticity rarity and value. Childe Harold's Pilgrimage

A:  Your book is part of the Beauxarts Series and was published in 1902.

It originally came within a labeled box. An example of the box is shown here.

Because this is not a title that is in any demand, this book will be a hard sell for more than a few dollars.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Hello, I picked this book (The Lays of Ancient Rome) up at a garage sale recently. It is in really nice condition. The binding is strong, pages are clean with no writing, rips, fraying or wear. The cover is a bit faded but not worn. I was wondering the age of the book. What series is it from? Thank you.

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series. All of the books in this series are reprints.

It was published in 1900 and originally came within a labeled box.

This cover has been seen with a number of different colors. Some examples are shown here.

Vademecum Series

Q:  See pics belong I'm trying to date this book. Black Beauty. I've read over the site. It looks like the format 1 version until you look at the front of the book, it has a design on the front. There are multiple ads in the back. And on the spine it says Sewell and not altemus.

A:  This book is from the Vademecum Series.

This cover is the one used for this series in 1898. Numerous different color combinations were seen with this basic cover. Some are shown here.

All of the titles in this series are reprints.

Vademecum Series

Q:  I recently came into possession of an old book entitled Heroes and Hero Worship by Thomas Carlyle. It doesn't have a copyright date and is in pretty poor shape as I don't think it was well taken care of. Could you please enlighten me as to when it may have been published?

A:  This book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in the 1909-1912 timeframe. All of the titles within this series are reprints.

It originally came in a labeled box. A representative box is shown here.

Mother Goose Series

Q:  Hello from what I have found on your site I have in my possession a copy of format 1 #11 The Sleeping Beauty and Other Stories. It is in fair condition considering its age. I am looking to sell this book and wondering what a fair price would be to ask for it. Since you are the expert on all things Henry Altemus I figured you would be the person to ask. I don't want to swindle anyone by over pricing it just looking to sell it to someone who will appreciate it.

Any information you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

A:  This twelve book series was published in three different formats. The earliest (your book) covers have a vellum decoration on the left third of the cover which has been seen in blue, red, green or dark beige. The right half has a book appropriate pictorial picture within an oval. The dust jacket matches the left decoration but the right is plain (see here). The books are 96 pages.

The second format is the same as the first format except that the vellum decoration is beige and the books are only 64 pages.

The third format cover has a pictorial book appropriate picture.

These books can be hard to sell if they are not in great shape and/or do not have a dust jacket. Anything more than a few dollars would be a good sale for you.

For more information see Mother Goose Series

Vademecum Series

Q:  Hello, I have a copy of The Last Letters of Elia but cannot find a publication date. Can you please help? There are covers and it looks lick blue roses intertwined on the front cover.

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1897.

This publisher's series consisted only of reprinted titles. Generally the covers are distinctive and indicate what year the book was published in. Your cover is an 1897 cover. It was printed in a number of different colors. A few examples are shown on the series page.

It was originally sold in a labeled box. An example is here.

Vademecum Series

Q:  I have this book (In Memoriam) and wondered if you could tell me it's worth. It has a name written in it and 1907. Attached are 2 pictures. It is in very good shape.

A:  This book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1903.

During this year the cover has been seen in a number of different colors and over 40 appliqués have been noted. It was published within a labeled box. A sample is shown here.

All of the titles in this series are reprints. This title is not widely collected or desired and thus it has only nominal value.

Sanspareil Series

Q:  Hello, I have found three books that my great great grandfather must have dated 1898 and I am wondering if they have any value. I have attached the cover same for all three.
1. "Sator Restartus" by Thomas Carlyle
2. "Mulvaney Stories" by Rudyard Kipling
3. Poems by Oliver Wendell Holmes
thanks for any info you have!

A:  Your books are part of the Sanspareil Series. They were published in 1898 and originally had dust jackets. See series page for an example.

All of the titles in this series are reprints.

Since none of your books have very desirable/collectible titles, they only have nominal value.

Vademecum Series

Q:  I can only send a picture of the cover with difficulty, if you might have patience...I have a small ochre book entitled Poe's Poems, published by Henry Altemus out of Philadelphia, 1895, with illustrative engravings. It has gold stripes and gold floral wreath & decorative flowers on the cover. Do you have any knowledge of this book? thank you!

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1896.

It is a reprint.

Classics Series

Q:  Hello, is this a valuable book (Evangeline)? It belonged to my Great Aunt Cora who was a school teacher.

A:  The Classics Series was published between 1907 and 1909 and consisted of 76 reprinted titles. Your book's format originally came with dust jackets. A representative dust jacket picture is shown here.

These books were published in a number formats and yours is the most commonly seen of the five.

Unless the title is one that is very desired and collectible, it generally is a hard sell for more than a few dollars.