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.

Vademecum Series

Q:  I found this black beauty book in my storage... could you tell me more about it?

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series and was originally sold within a labeled box. It was published in 1903.

It is a reprint and has limited value.

The painting on the front comes from a larger picture. You can see details here: ../vademecum.htm

Boys and Girls Classics

Q:  Hi there,
I found this unique book (Rip Van Winkle) at a local antique shop, and living in the Hudson Valley, I couldn't resist to pick this up. Do you have more information about this edition of the book, and how rare is it relative to other books published by the company? Thanks!

A:  Hello,
Your book is part of the 15 volume Boys and Girls Classics Series.

The sailboat picture cover was seen between 1908 and the early teens. These books were originally sold within a floral papered labeled box.

This series used the plates from the earlier published Young Peoples Library Series. That is why the title page notes that series.
These books are relatively common.

Vademecum Series

Q:  May I have some info on this book and its estimated value? Thank you
UNCLE TOM'S CABIN illustrated copyright 1894 green cover with lighthouse

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1901. It originally came with a labeled box. The books of this format have been seen with a number of different cover colors and more than forty different cover pictures.

Your book is a reprint and has limited value. There are a number of collectors however of this title so you never know what someone might pay.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Hello, I am curious to know if my book has any value.

Info I know...Kidnapped copyright 1898 by Altemus Publishing Philadelphia: series 101.

Any information will be helpful...

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series-Series #180 and was published in 1899. It originally came within a labeled box.

Since this is a reprint of a common title, it has little value.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Hello. I've enjoyed the time I've spent reading different sections of your website. Had no idea the best story behind my purchase today would not be the novel or the author but the bookbinder/publisher! The only cover photo I could find in your gallery of this title was found in the #37 series. I've learned elsewhere that it was published a year after the rights became public domain but wondered if you could offer some more information on this particular edition given its cover and publishing date? Uncle Tom's Cabin

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1894. (Book #27)

It originally was published with a labeled box.

The Vademecum Series consists of numerous reprints of fiction, essays, poetry, etc by many different authors. During 1894 this particular cover was published in a number of different colors.

The website only shows representative copies of each format. Thus, not every title is shown with every format. Since some formats have more than 150 titles, to show each one would be nearly (if not) impossible.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  I have a question about this book that I found in my mother’s collection: it’s an “Illustrated Vademecum Series” reprint of Tennyson’s In Memoriam. I read from other pages on your site that in this series, books were published essentially every year, and that the covers varied yearly. Upon examining your tables, the closest I could come to an accurate date for my book was the 1899-1926 range. I saw another user’s book, however, that was not “In Memoriam,” but that had a very similar cover design to mine; his was from 1901-2. So my question is this: is my book, too, from this same year? If not, when is it from? From your information about how the publisher was cited, my book’s “Henry Altemus Company” tells me that it is from after 1900, I believe.

A:  Actually your book is part of the Petit Trianon Series and was published in 1903-1904. It is a reprint and originally came with a labeled box.

The 1903 books had a stereotyped pedestal picture on the left side of the cover. This left cover design has been seen in blue, pink and beige. Some 1903 books were published with the same pedestal on the left but they were in ooze calf.

The cloth books have one of sixteen different flowers on the right of the cover.

A lot of Altemus books which are not Vademecum books have the Vademecum Series listed in the ads in the back of the book.

This particular book in this format is not that common but scarcity and value do not necessarily go hand in hand. Because it is not a very collectible book, it has very limited value.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Hi there, I could not find this exact book (Uncle Tom's Cabin). I found one that is green the same picture dated I guess in 1901.
Can you tell me when this book was published and what the value of this book today?

A:  This book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1902. Originally this book came in a labeled box. All of the books in this series are reprints.

The 1902 books have been seen with a number of different color covers. More than 40 different pictures have been seen on the cover.

For more information see ../vademecum.htm.

It only has nominal value.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Would like info on this book (Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin), please.

A:  This book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1899. It originally came within a labeled box.

The 1899 books of this series have been seen with many different colors. See series page.

Your book is a reprint as are all of the books of this large publisher's series.
It has only nominal value.

Vademecum Series

Q:  To whom it may concern:
I am very interested in finding out more about this copy of Discourses of Epictetus. It seems to be a copy designed for women and I am wondering if it was part of a larger series. I have attached some pictures. The book is in very good condition.

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

It originally was published with a labeled box. This series is made up of reprints of various essays, poetry, fiction, etc.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Hello, I have a book of Phillips Brooks Addresses. I have attached photos. Would it be possible to give me a date range and approx. value for this little book?

A:  This book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1896. It originally came within a labeled box. It is a reprint. Since the title is not widely sought after, it only has nominal value.

As with most books in this series, the covers came in a variety of colors.