Henry Altemus Company

Children of the Bible Series

Formats 1 and 2 have multicolored appliqués on their covers. At this time for the 10 book series, fifteen different appliqués have been seen. They are not book specific and one title may be seen with several different covers. It is unclear whether each title was published with all the different appliqués or only certain ones.

A new format for format 1 which does not have the decorated left half of the page has been seen. It has the black end paper decorations and was published circa 1910.

Variant of Format 1 book discovered for Young People’s Library

The Young People’s Library was Altemus’ longest running series. Each of the 4 formats are generally easily distinguished by their characteristic spine pattern. Format 1 was published from 1895 into 1898. A book without the characteristic spine has been discovered.

As is noted in the section on the Young People’s Library, within certain formats there is occasionally a cover picture change. Numerous examples are seen in the picture section.

An early 1896 edition of the book, Mother Goose Rhymes Jingles and Fairy Tales not only has a cover picture change but also does not have the typical spine found in the format 1 books in the book of the same title published later in 1896. The earlier book has the publication date at the base of the title page which the later book does not.

What is even more interesting is that the earlier book has an additonal 86 pages of text. The text in those pages is exactly the same as are found in the Young People’s Library Arabian Nights published one year later in 1897.

This book can be seen in the new picture section.

Wee Books for Wee Folks

Under Format 3, Little Miss Duck was authored by A.E.H. In the bibliography it lists the author as anonymous.

Mother Stories Series

Earliest jacket is brown uncoated with black lettered series name and title in a rectangular box at the top of the front cover. The book's subtitle is in black letters at the bottom of the jacket.

Non Series - Vic, The Autobiography of a Fox Terrier

Listed as being published in 1896 by Altemus. The correct Altemus publication date is 1895.

Series 54 - Book of Love Series

Format 1a - Brown leatherette. Title printed in gold gilt letters on the upper left of the cover. 5.5 x 4.25. Published simultaneously with Format 1.
A picture of this book format can be seen in the picture section.

Around the World in Eighty Minutes Ephemera Discovered

In 1894 Altemus published "Around the World in Eighty Minutes". Written by Wm. S. Walsh, it consisted of text opposite photographs of monuments or edifices. Pictures were from all over the world, thus the title.

The book came in two different formats. The illuminated paper covers book was priced at fifty cents while the Fine English cloth and silver book was one dollar. Of interest is the fact that two different hardcover books have been seen with fine English cloth while no example of the illuminated paper covered books has been discovered.

The two English cloth books differ from each other not only in the cover design but in the quality of their printing also. The book noted as “a” has thicker better quality paper as compared to the book designated as “b”. Thus the former book is significantly thicker and heavier.

A wonderful advertising sheet which is 5.5 x 2.25 was found in an Altemus Library, Format 2 book. It is shown below.

New dust jacket picture added to data base for series #41 - The American History Makers

Series #41, the American History Makers, is a three volume series written by Wayne Whipple. Whipple also wrote the three books in the Patriotic Series (#139).

Series #41 had three formats. This jacket which matches the underlying blue book cover is from format #2. A representative jacket was not included in the book on page GP-12 (where the other Series #41 pictures are).

Format 2 had 8 color illustrations on glossy paper. One of the 8 is the same as the front cover appliqué and the dust jacket picture. These illustrations were also found in Format 1 but dropped in the third and last format.

Format 3 has a variant with black lettering on the cover and spine. The earlier of the format 3 books has gold gilt lettering. The books and dust jackets are otherwise identical including the rear ads.