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 I just picked up this Black Beauty book, it has no date inside, a little girl wrote her name and date 1888. The inside reads Henry Altemus Philadelphia.
Was hope you knew more about it. Thank you.

A:  Your book was published in 1897 as part of the Beauxarts Series. See ../series/series47.htm

It originally came within a labeled box. All of the titles in this series are reprints.

Non Series #7

Q:  Hello, I'm trying to find more information about my book (Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales). I believe it is the Altemus 1918 non-series publication. Would this be considered a first edition? Please correct me if I'm wrong and give me any more information that I may be missing. Thank you!

A:  It is the non series Altemus publication. Since all the stories have previously appeared in other books, I do not think it can be called a first edition. However, it probably can be called the "First Edition, thus". It originally came with a dust jacket. It is of a similar format to Grimm's Fairy Tales which was also published in 1918 See: ../images/NS_64.jpg

Vademecum Series

Q:  Hi, I have a small blue "Poems" by Edgar Allan Poe book copyright 1895 by Henry Altemus, Philadelphia. Do you have any information regarding this book?

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1896. See ../series/series179.htm. During this year this series' books came in a number of different colors. It originally was published with a labeled box. All the books in this series are reprints.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  Hi there, Another copy I couldn’t identify (Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam). Pls help.

A:  Your book is part of the Petit Trianon Series. As with all of the books in this series, it is a reprint. It was published in 1905-1906 and originally came within a labeled box. I am including a picture of what the box looks like. See ../series/series143.htm for more information.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Can you tell me anything about this book? The title is The Blithedale Romance by Nathaniel Hawthorne. It was published by Henry Altemus in Philadelphia.

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1896. It originally came in a labeled box. It is a reprint and only has nominal value. See ../series/series179.htm for more information.

Waistcoat Pocket Series

Q:  This little book (Songs of Shakespeare) is published in 1906 by Henry Altemus Company. I could not find any info on the web about it. I would like to have more info like its value on the open market today, part of a series etc?

A:  Your book is part of the Waistcoat Pocket Series. See ../series/series184.htm.

This book is a reprint and was originally published with a labeled box. It only has nominal value.

Vademecum Series

Q:  I have had this book (Black Beauty) for about four years and it came from an estate. The handwritten inscription inside dates it as a 1903 Christmas present. Would you be able to verify when it was printed? If so, do you know it's current value?

A:  Your book was published in 1903 and is part of the Vademecum Series. All of the titles in this series are reprints.

In 1903 the books of the Vademecum Series had one of several colored covers with the same basic cover template. Any one of more than 40 paintings have been seen on the front cover.

../series/series180.htm

It only has nominal value.

Young People's Library

Q:  Hi I have the 1895 ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND Book 1ST ALTEMUS ED. Lewis Carroll it has a blue cover on it and is in wonderful condition. I was just wondering what it would be worth.

A:  Your book is the first Altemus edition of the individual title Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. In the same year (1895) Altemus published two combination books which included Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. In 1895 there were two different editions of your book. The earlier one has 1895 at the base of the title page and the fronts ads list to Through the Looking Glass.

For more information see ../series/series202F1.htm.

Appreciate that all other Altemus Alice's Adventures in Wonderland are later editions.

Stories We Love Series

Q:  I found this book (Cranford) in an attic. Could you please give me any information you have? Thank you.

A:  Your book is part of the Stories We Love Series and was published between 1912 and 1916. The books of this series were published in red, green and brown. Originally the book was sold with a labeled box.

For more information see ../series/series171.htm.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  I am hoping for some help identifying the year this was printed. There is a signature dated on the inside cover with 1896 and the introduction is dated 1878. The title is Tales from Shakespeare.

Thanks for your help!

A:  Your book was published in 1896 and is part of the Petit Trianon Series. This series of reprints originally was published with a labeled box. In 1896 the left side of the front cover is common to all of the books but the right side has been seen with a number of different decorative patterns.

For more information see ../series/series141.htm.

It only has nominal value.