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.

Shakespeare's Plays

Q:  I have a set of Shakespeare, probably 20 or so mini books about 4 x 6 in a burgundy type cloth with a shield emblem on the cover.

There are no print dates. But each book is a work of Shakespeare. I found an exact copy on line on Ebay last evening. Taming of the Shrew they were asking $49 but really offered no information or origin (date or where printed) about the book. They are my grandparents and we are very interested to know about them. They are eldery late 80 and can't remember if their's or their parents. Any assistance is greatly appreciated. Thank you. i sent photo under separate email. thank you kindly.

A:  This series of 39 books is extremely common and the books only have nominal value. They are frequently listed for fairly high prices but seldom sell for more than a dollar or two a book.

Your books appear to have decorated end papers indicating that are pre-1905. They also were published by Henry Altemus Company telling us that they were published in 1900 or later. (Altemus incorporated in 1900). These book originally came with dust jackets.

For more information about this series see ../series/series164.htm.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Hello, I have a Henry Altemus Company published book of the song of Hiawatha by Longfellow. It doesn't have a publishing date on it. It is in green leather with a farmer in a wheat field on the cover and a drawing of Minnehaha on the inside.. I can't seem to find anything about my book. Do you know anything? Thank you for your help.

A:  Your book is a 1907 publication and is part of the Vademecum Series. During this year this series of reprints used more than 40 pictures as paste-ons. Frequently the cover picture was part of a larger painting.

One part of the painting might be on one book and another part of the painting might appear on another book. Click here to see the large painting that includes your book's picture.

See ../vademecum.htm for more information.

Vademecum Series

Q:  I recently purchased a copy of "An Englishwoman's Love Letters" at a local antique store, printed by the Henry Altemus Company. I looked to see if my cover matched any listed on your site but it doesn't appear so. I was wondering if it was perhaps an unlisted design. The gold print on the front (I'm sorry for a lack of proper terminology) appears to be mostly that of a grape vine with two flowers with multiple petals. There is also a gold frame around a picture of a field, and a few people working in it.

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1901. The cover format can be seen here: (Series 180)

During this year there were more than 40 different pictures used as paste-ons on the front cover. Your book's exact cover picture can be seen here Vademecum and is listed as picture #18.

Young People's Library Format 3

Q:  Rip Van Winkle. Year 1900. All pages 46 illustrations up 230 pages. Plus the young people library after the 230 pages. Do you know what edition this is. Its in good condition. But not like new. If any value to the book. I know it's the

Thank You for your time. Jim

Picture attaches of book cover. But not mine. Do not have a camera or scanner. But it tell you what book it is.

A:  You can start here (../ypl/index.htm) and date your book fairly easily. Based on the ads in the back of the book, you will be able to narrow down the date of publication to a specific date between1902-1923 (when the third format of the Young People's Library was published).

It only has nominal value.

Vademecum Series

Q:  I found this book (Knickerbocker's History of New York) while cleaning out my mother's home. Copyright date is 1899. What can you tell me about it? Sorry pictures aren't very good. I had to use my cell phone.

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series (../series/series180.htm) and was published in 1899. This series consisted of reprints of fiction, poetry, essays, classics, etc. It originally came in a labeled box. It only has nominal value.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Hello, I have recently acquired a book by Edgar Alan Poe / Weird Tales that has little to know information on which addition copy from which it was produced the copyright is 1895 and there is no further information... I have not seen any hard covered print design from Altemus like this one.. Attached are two photos of the cover of the book.. If you could give me some insight into which addition this may be and what this copy may or may not be worth on the market I would surely appreciate your professional opinion..

A:  Your 1895 book was published as part of the Vademecum Series. (../series/series179.htm). As you can see this cover format came in numerous colors.

Although this is a very common Altemus title of Poe reprints, for some reason it frequently sells for more than you would think. I have seen it sell for between $10-75. I cannot explain the wide range-perhaps different sellers see it at different times.

Little Bunnie Bunniekin Series

Q:  Hello, I am trying to find out any information you may have on this book "Little Lambie Lambkin" it was published by the Henry Altemus Company in 1921. Is this a first edition? and anything else you may be able to tell me. Thank you in advance for your help.

A:  Your book is part of the eight volume Little Bunnie Bunniekin Series.

In order to determine what year your book was published in you can look at the endpapers and the advertisements. Look at the bottom book in a list of the ads and then go to the website and put in the name of that book. By doing that you should be able to determine the earliest the book could have been published.

../series/series124.htmand ../wee_books/index.htm

Boys and Girls Classics

Q:  I got your contact information from the Internet (http://en.allexperts.com/q/Book-Collecting-3231/2009/7/Altemus-Black-Beauty.htm). Can you tell me anything about the attached edition of Black Beauty?

Thank you for your time.

A:  Information about your book can be found here: ../series/series58.htm. It is part of the Boys and Girls Classics Series. This series of forty reprints can be found with and without the gold decorative gilt pattern seen on your book cover. On the series page you can see how to date your book by checking the ads in the back of the book. It was published between 1899 and 1902.

It is a reprint and has only nominal value.

Juvenile Quartos Series

Q:  Hi, I was going through some of my grandmothers hand me downs and came across this book (The Story of Little Black Sambo). I have been searching the internet but cannot seem to locate this particular book.

Can you please provide me with some detail on it? Is it rare? With all the Black Sambo books I've found I cant imagine it would be but I am interested in some detail on this book and why I cant find it on the internet?

Thank you for your time.

A:  Altemus published this book in 1931 and later David Mckay did a reprint edition of this exact book. You can find this book on this website here: ../series/series113.htm.

It is quite uncommon because Altemus stopped publishing books in 1932 so your book was only in print for a short time. I trust your book is the oversized format at about 7 x 9.

Although it is not a first edition, it is still quite a nice book.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Hello, I've purchased an old Edgar Allan Poe book called Weird Tales. It is small hardback, measuring 6 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches. It has a copyright date of 1895 by Henry Altemus, Philadelphia. The cover has a picture and it also has a floral pattern & the title pressed into the cover. I wanted to know more about the book, but haven't been able to find this particular book when doing searches on the internet. Can you tell me anything about this edition of the book?

A:  Your book was published as part of the Vademecum Series in 1901. See ../series/series180.htm.

The picture is from #5 and #18 seen here: ../vademecum.htm.

This book originally came in a labeled box and is a reprint.