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.

Non Series

Q:  I’ve had this book in my possession for about 20 years now (I liked the tipped-on color cover insert) and didn’t think to look into it’s history until now. Can you give me any information on it? Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Many thanks!

A:  Your book is an Alice that was published in non series form in 1916. It is one of the rarest of the Altemus Alice formats. I have noted it with two different cover colors: green and blue. It originally came within a labeled box which has not been seen.

It appears to have been published in two different formats. One has plain endpapers and a tipped in plate. This is the later book. The other (earlier) format has illustrated endpapers without the tipped in picture.

See: http://www.henryaltemus.com/images/NS_4.htm

Photo Art Gallery Album

Q:  Good morning. I have one of the "rare" Henry Altemus photo gallery album. It is unused and is in exceptional condition, some foxing.

It is all original. 16 pages 8x10. Spots for photos back to back. It is the one with all the various important figures, presidents, poets, statesmen, etc. around where the photo sits. It has all the index pages, the advertising card that has the lovell advert and how you can use it for cutting to size your cabinet photos.

Can you possibly tell me an estimated value?

A:  I believe you are describing the Photo Art Gallery Album. (http://www.henryaltemus.com/albums/photoalbums.htm)

This scarce album was copyrighted by Altemus in 1888 but published by the Lovell Manufacturing Company in Erie, Pennsylvania.

My edition is the same as yours in that it is 8" x 10" and has 16 pages. Each page can hold one cabinet card on the front and one on the back.

As can be seen in a sample page shown here, every page has a certain category, i. e. president's page, author's page, etc.

In good condition this album certainly is worth roughly $150.

Altemus Bibles

Q:  I have failed to locate my 1884 Altemus Bible among the photos on your website. Attached is a picture of its cover and title page. I am seeking a source for an approximate current value of the Bible in a "good" condition. The Bible pictured in the attachment suffered water damage.
I would appreciate any source you might direct me to.

A:  Altemus published Bibles on its own imprint as well as for other entities from the 1870's until the turn of the century. Most of these Bibles were large heavy volumes which have not held up well over the years. The weight of the Bible has generally been too much for the binding to support. As of this time I have identified for than 60 different Altemus Bible covers.

These Bibles contain various combinations of ten different textual features. For details see http://www.henryaltemus.com/bibles/bibles.htm

Your Bible is similar to B5. In great shape these Bibles rarely sell for more than $100. In poor shape, they are hard to sell.

Altemus Bible

Q:  Good afternoon Altemus expert,
My siblings and I recently inherited my Father’s 1895 Philadelphia Edition (see attached photo’s.) We’re having trouble finding information on the Internet about its resale value. Can you help us?

A:  Bibles were a mainstay of the Henry Altemus publishing firm in the 1880's and 1890's. (http://www.henryaltemus.com/bibles/bibles.htm). Photographic albums which had been a large Altemus revenue producer were replaced by Bibles in the 1880's just as books replaced Bibles in the 1890's.

I have seen 62 different cover variants (yours is shown as B8 on the Bible webpage) of the oversized Bibles which were published between 1884 and the mid-1890's. Bibles of the 1870's had covers similar to the Altemus photographic albums.

The contents of these latter Bibles varied (see webpage) and most had Gustave Dore illustrations. They are large heavy books and because of that are somewhat hard to find with perfect bindings.

Numerous companies published similar Bibles during this era and because of that most of them have little value. Bible collectors generally will not pay more than $50-75 even when the Bibles are in pretty good shape.

Non Series #23

Q:  Trying to find out the value of the 1915 non series Octavo Edition of Black Beauty. I have attached 2 pictures for you to see its condition.
Also, I am curious to know how many of these books were printed and/or sold.

A:  This Black Beauty reprint was published by Altemus in 1915. As opposed to most of the Altemus Black Beauty books, this one is not part of a series.

I have seen this format in this dark blue color as well as an orange cover color. See here.

It originally was published with a dust jacket which I have not seen as of yet. I would estimate this book's value to be between $15-40 depending on condition. A jacketed book would be worth more.

Non Series

Q:  I have a book which I didn't find right off on your site. The book is: Names For Children by Scovil. Can you give me more information?

The date is 1897 and published by Philadelphia Henry Altemus Company which contradicts your site's assertion that books with Henry Altemus Company are printed 1900 and beyond.

Worldcat has only one listing for the book and is published by Altemus and dated 1897.

This book is definitely old and amazingly it has the original dust jacket which is in very nice condition considering. Attached are three photos - the D.J. mimics the book front. The paper of the D.J. is grey-tan (inside flap is a more grey color).

Any more info would be much appreciated.

A:  Thank you for your pictures. This book can be found here: ../images/NS_101.htm

Your book was published after 1900 as the imprint is Henry Altemus Company. The copyright is 1897 but as you know the copyright is not necessarily the date of publication. Altemus published this book over a number of years in a couple of different editions.

Since Altemus incorporated in 1900 all books with this imprint were published in 1900 or later. There are a few exceptions in which books with the imprint of Henry Altemus were published after 1900.

The presence or absence in the Worldcat or NUC or elsewhere is irrelevant since countless books and their various editions are not listed. It is a good place to start to research books but far from the final word.

Non Series

Q:  I have a set of William Shakespeare books published in 1891. It says set of four original binding. I'm just curious about their history. Some of the information provided on your site doesn't seem to match my books.

A:  This four volume set of Shakespeare's Works can be found here: Non Series #127. The set originally came within a box which was sold for $5.00.

This set is not nearly as common as the 31 volume set published between 1899-1930's. See Shakespeare's Plays.

Your set seems to be very similar if not exactly the same as the one shown on the website.

Non Series #128

Q:  I have attached pictures of a book (She Who Will Not When She May By Eleanor Walton) I have had from an estate sale for sometime now. I bought it for 1.00 and was wondering how much it would be worth?

It says Copyright 1898 By Henry Altemus (Philadelphia)

I would say the book in general is in good vintage condition. It is hardcover and the black and white picture in the front has fallen out (but I have kept it with the book). Other than that is just has a few minor stains on cover and some spotting on the top pages of the book when closed.

Thank you for your time.

A:  Three editions of this book were published by Altemus (not including the boxed ooze calf editions). Unfortunately you have not sent me a picture of the title page. The first edition's imprint states Henry Altemus whereas the later editions show Henry Altemus Company as the imprint. Further distinguishing features can be found here: ../images/NS_128.htm.

All three editions have similar designs on the front cover- only the colors are different. See examples.

In average to poor shape this book is probably worth $10-20.

Non Series

Q:  Hello I am sending 3 pics of this book (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland) I have acquired. I cannot locate another like it. Would you be so kind as to identify, date and any other info. Much appreciated

A:  This 1916 book came in two different formats. The earlier books have illustrated endpapers and a color picture opposite of the title page. The later books have plain endpapers and a tipped in picture opposite of the title page. It measures 11.25 x 8.5.

This is one of the scarcest Altemus Alice formats. Certainly it is many times rarer than the Alice's of the Young People's Library. In my opinion, it is also a much nicer book.

It came in a labeled box (which has not been seen).

Click here for more information and to see the endpapers.

Altemus Bible

Q:  The attached pictures show what I believe to be an 1892 version. Is it a rare or valuable version? Other than the cover the pages are in pristine condition.

Thank you for your assistance.

A:  Altemus published Bibles between the 1870's and the late 1890's. So far 59 different covers have been seen with these oversized Bibles. This cover is #B41.
The Bibles have a number of possible different sections:

1. Old and New Testament
2. Dore Illustrations
3. Marriage Certificate and Family Registration
4. Revised Version Appended
5. Apocrypha, Concordance, Psalms on Metre
6. Smith's Dictionary
7. Bible History and Analysis
8. Cyclopedia of the Bible
9. Dictionary of Names
10. Notes and commentary by Rev. Walter McGilvray

The more expensive deluxe formats have the most sections. Some bindings are also fancier than others. Because these books are so heavy, they are commonly found with broken bindings. They usually sell for between $50-$125.