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.

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.

Young People's Library Format 1

Q:  Hello, We recently found a bunch of old books from one of our relatives and in them was a copy of Robinson Crusoe published by Altemus that was given as a Christmas present in 1898. We would like some information on the book as to the real age, and approximate worth of the book for insurance purposes.

A:  Hi. Your book is part of the Young People's Library and was published between 1895 and 1898. If you look here: ../series/series202F1.htm you will find a flow chart that will allow you to date your book by studying the advertisements within it.

Generally since this is a reprint (albeit a nice one) it sells for between $10-20.

Young People's Library- Format 1

Q:  Greetings,
I have attached a photo of the front cover of "The Pilgrim's Progress." There are no ads in the back and only 6 books are listed behind the cover page. Could you confirm that this is a first edition and give me some idea as to its value. Thank you very much for your assistance.

A:  Your book probably is an early Altemus edition but not the first Altemus edition. Altemus published its first edition in 1890. The true first edition was published in the 1600's.

Your book is part of the Young People's Library (../series/series202F1.htm). The exact date of publication can be determined by using the flowchart which is on the series page.

These reprints ordinarily sell for only a few dollars.

Young People's Library, Format 4

Q:  Ten days ago, I came across a Henry Altemus Company book without a publishing date and doing my usual daily research, I came across your website and was able to roughly match my book with an image of the cover of another book, thus giving me a nice estimate for a publishing year, around 1907.

Today's book, I'm afraid, has no date and I can find no matching cover style on your site so far. Fortunately, there is an inscription inside the front cover dated Christmas 1924, but I was hoping to match a cover style as well to make that a more concrete date, if possible.

The book is 'A Child's Garden of Verses' by Robert Louis Stevenson. I have attached my images of the day for the book and I apologize that there isn't a direct shot of the cover, but I think you might be able to get a general idea just the same. My question to you is, does this look like it could be from around 1924? Or do you perhaps recognize that style of cover as another particular year?

I don't expect much, but thought I would drop a line and check with you.

A:  Your book appears to be from the Young People's Library Format 4 (see: ../series/series202F4.htm) which was published for the first time in 1923. Thus based on the inscription in your picture the book probably is either a 1923 or 1924 book.

I looked at your slideshow. Very nice. If you have other questions regarding dating books, I can try to help. I have an extensive reference library for this sort of thing.

For dating issues the place to start is generally the title page.

Young People's Library-Format 1

Q:  Hello, I have a Gulliver's Travels published by Altemus, Philadelphia from the Altemus' Young People's Library, date of publication: "Copyright 1896 by Henry Altemus". The price printed on it is 50 cents. It has 55 illustrations. Could you kindly tell me what this book is worth approximately, if anything?

I've included a jpeg - it happens to be accompanied by my Dr. Dolittle book, which is not published by Altemus.
I appreciate your help.

A:  Your book which can be found here ../series/series202F1.htm is not uncommon. There is a flowchart on that page to help you determine which Altemus edition it is and when between 1896 and 1898 it was published.

Clearly your copy is in excellent shape. Unfortunately there is not a lot of interest in this edition. I would think $10-20 would be on the high side.

Of course, you never know when someone just has to have a certain book.

Young People's Library- Format 1

Q:  Hi, I recently found this book at a local Library book sale. I really liked the inlay and engravings etc, and with a copyright of 1895, I imagine it has it's own story. Not that it matters but I was curious that maybe it was worth something? I could not find it online, so I wondered what you make of it. Thank you.

A:  Your book is part of the Young People's Library- Format 1. You can find it shown here ../series/series202F1.htm as #5.

Although it is an early or first edition of this title (check the ads to see which), it is not in the best shape and has little collector interest.

Although sometimes I am quite surprised at the prices that certain books sell for, your book generally would only sell for a few dollars if it sells at all.

Young People's Library

Q:  I have a 1897 Black Beauty- The Autobiography of a Horse by Anna Sewell with Fifty illustrations. Copyright 1897 by Henry Altemus. Hard back book. Signed by a Harold Sliward in 1906. Printed by Altemus' Young People's Library. I wanted to find more information on it and when I looked on your website of the books you had I did not see this year nor the cover. I'm attaching pictures for you to see. If you have any info on this book I would surely appreciate it.

A:  Match the spine to your spine here: Young People's Library

Then you can date your book easily with the flowchart shown for dating. This book is shown in the data base.

Of course, your book is a post-1900. The copyright is different than the year published in this instance.

Young People's Library

Q:  I have three Altemus books, the first is an 1895 Through the Looking Glass and what Alice found there, from your information on the spine design, I believe it is a Format 1 second edition because it lists Gulliver's Travels in the box opposite the title page. It is slightly smaller than the following two Format 2 books.
The other two are Format 2 based on the spine design. Swiss Family Robinson dated 1896 and Arabian Nights dated 1897. Both have four pages of ads in the back with Grandfather's Chair being the last one listed. Arabian Nights has the green patterned endsheets with a girl sitting in the letter "A" while Swiss Family Robinson has plain endsheets.
I am wondering if I have understood your information correctly, and where I might go to learn of their value?

A:  The two Format 2 books were published between 1898 and 1902. You should be able to date them with the notes on the Format 2 page. They generally do not sell for much. That is, less than $15. Occasionally someone just has to have a book, but as a seller you cannot count on that.

The Through the Looking Glass book is a nice book. You have identified it perfectly. This book should bring in $25-75. Again luck plays a role if you put it on Ebay. What I mean is that I have seen it sell for more but also I have seen it not sell. Just cannot figure it. Remember that the Altemus book is a reprint with the first edition being published many years before.

Young People's Library

Q:  My friend was in an antique store and found this 1895 edition of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, published by Henry Altemus. It is priced at $150. The internet has conflicting prices and information. The book is in good condition. Would you mind letting me know if this price is reasonable or what your thoughts are. Thanks

A:  $150 is high. First you have to figure out which edition it is. Take a look here to determine when it was published between 1895-1898.
../series/series202F1.htm

The true Altemus first is worth more than later copies.

The prices for this book as well as the later Young People's Library reprints are hard to figure. What I mean is that the later Alice's in the Young People's Library. ( See ../series/series202F2.htm and ../series/series202F3.htm frequently are promoted as earlier and rarer than they are and unknowing buyers will pay $50-100 for a copy. This is despite the fact that not only are they buying a misdescribed book but they are buying a very, very common book.

Getting back to your book. The condition is not great so even if it is the 1895 edition, it is not worth the money. Maybe $50-75 if you just have to have it. If not, you can be patient and pick up a better copy for $25-50.

Young People's Library (Format 1)

Q:  Can you tell me what the age of this book is (Through the Looking Glass)?

A:  This book was published between 1895 and 1898.

To determine which year it was published in you can refer to the small chart that can be seen at: Young People's Library (Format 1)

Let me know if you have any other questions.