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 don’t know if it’s of any interest, but this tome resides in my home library: Black Beauty, Henry Altemus Publishing, 4”x6” format, B&W drawings, 254 numbered pages. Yet another undated version?

A:  This book was published originally in a labeled box (a box is shown here) in 1897. All the books of the Vademecum Series (like this one) are reprints.

During 1897 this cover format was published with several different colors.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Hi! My grandmother just gave me this book (Black Beauty by Anna Sewell) and I was wondering if you could tell me when this book was published. It has an inscription inside that says 1903 so I know it is at least that old. I'm sorry I don't know what the dust jacket looked like, my grandmother didn't have it. Thank you so much!!

A:  It is part of the Vademecum Series.

It was published in 1898 and came within a labeled box. All of the books in this series are reprints. In 1898 there were numerous color covers with the same underlying format. See here for some examples.

Vademecum Series

Q:  The Sketch Book Washington Irving
I cannot find any copyright, printing or date within the book. I'm hoping that you can help me date it. approx size is: 6.50 x 4.50 inches
Thank you

A:  This book is part of the Vademecum Series. This publisher's series included only reprints of books of fiction, essays, poetry, etc. Your book was published in 1898. During that year the books were sold within a labeled box. There was only one cover format but it has been seen in a number of different colors. Some are shown on the series page.

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.

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.

Vademecum Series

Q:  I have a series of Altemus books that I purchased from my college library, 35 years ago. The title page says Henry Altemus, Philadelphia. They are signed by the owner of these titles- J.Clay Stone, from Paris, Kentucky, and signed with the date 1898.
I have several books with similar covers. No dust jackets. All have wear. Many have pencil notes inside the front covers. All measure about 4 x 6.5 inches.

I would appreciate any information that you may have about these volumes,
Marvel: Dream Life, The Reveries of the Bachelor, Poe: Weird Tales

A:  These three books are from the Vademecum Series.

They were published in 1898 and originally were sold within a labeled box. All of the books in this series are reprints.

The covers of the 1898 Vademecum books have the same pattern but have been seen with a number of different colors. Other examples are shown on the series page.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Hello. I found this book (Poe's Weird Tales) among my grandmother's things and am wondering if it has any value. It is marked copyrighted 1895 by Henry Altemus. Thank you for any information you may be able to give me.

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1896. It is a reprint which originally came within a labeled box.

There is quite a bit of collector's interest in books by Poe. So even though it is a reprint, it may have some value. Determining that value is probably best done by an auction like Ebay.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Hi, How are you? I spent Thanksgiving with a friend and his parents. I mentioned that I was a Shakespeare fan and his mom showed us a copy of Tales from Shakespeare printed by Henry Altemus. The book looks particularly old and the cover is beautiful to me as I have an obsession with shamrocks. I tried searching both your website and google to figure out the publishing date but haven't been successful. I attached pictures of the book and it's title pages. Could you please tell me what you know about this edition? We are all really interested in finding out more about it.

A:  This book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1897. Originally it came within a labeled box. The cover format for 1897 was published in a multitude of colors.

It is a reprint and has little value.

Vademecum Series

Q:  I found this book at a garage sale the other day, I have scanned all the google info on Cranford: Mrs. Gaskell that I can possibly absorb and have yet to find an image that looks exactly like this book. I did find a Benjamin Franklin book from the same "Henry Altemus - Philadelphia" that has the exact same hardback binding, coloring, and design - just totally different content and titling was within it. Just curious as to why I don't see this particular combination of hardback and content within the pages of Google that I have combed so far. Hoping you might be able to clue me in on the specifics of this magnificent little story book - it would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance!

A:  Your book is an 1896 publication and is part of the Vademecum Series.

This title was reprinted by numerous book publishers in the 1880-1900 range. There are hundreds of different formats in various color covers, etc. Any one version might be hard to find. For instance your book but with an orange cover. But finding the title in a reprint is very easy. For that reason, unless your title is one that is coveted by collectors, it has only nominal value.