Henry Altemus Company

Juvenile Series Ad- 1920 (Series #1-34)

This flyer advertises various Boys' and Girls' Series books. Interestingly the latest book is the shown is the Pony Riders Boys with the Texas Rangers which is a 1920 book. Other series do not show books that were published in the late teens. For instance, the College Girls Series (#9) lists 4 books the latest of which was published in 1914 but does not list the 1915 book.

Usually Altemus advertising would show all the series up to a certain date and there would not be this disparity in the books listed and not listed. Nonetheless this flyer must date from 1920 based on the book listed.

The flyer has 4 panels per side and is 13 x 6.25.

Multi-series Altemus Ads

This ad includes: Series 93- Gertrude Smith's Bible Stories, Series 124- Little Bunnie Bunniekin Series, Series 128- Magic Drawing Book Series, Series 138- Painting Book Series, Series 144- Piffle Dot Drawing Books-First Series, Series 145- Piffle's Dot Drawing Books-Second Series, Series 186- Wee Books for Wee Folks (third format), Series 187- Wee Folks Bible Stories Series, Series 189- Wee Folks Peter Rabbit Series, Series 190- Wish Fairy Series, Series 199- Young Folks Puzzle Picture Series

This accordion style advertising pamphlet has 8 sides (4 pages). The individual sheets are 5 x 3.5 with the total length being 14 inches. There are 11 series advertised within the flyer. Based on the books listed it appears that this is a 1922 piece. Jack the Giant Killer in the Wee Folks Cinderella Series was published in 1922. The next book in that series Jack and the Beanstalk was also published in 1922 but is not listed.

This pamphlet was apparently given to local book dealers who could imprint their name on it. See the ad.

This flyer is exceptionally rare as compared to the juvenile series book flyers seen in this section.

Juvenile Series Ad #1-1910
Series #1-34

In the teens Altemus' hugely popular boys' and girls' series books became the mainstay of its publishing business. Various advertisements were used by Altemus to increase the interest in these books. Accordion pamphlets advertising the many juvenile series were placed inside many books of this era. Currently I have seen a number of different advertisements that fit this description. They will be shown and described in chronological order (earliest to latest).

The first ad pamphlet appeared in 1910. Several 1910 books are seen here: Circus Boys, High School Girls, Automobile Girls, but no 1911 books are noted. These pamphlets varied in size. This one only has 4 panels per side. Some have as many as 6 panels per side. The entire piece is 13 x 6.25.

Motor Boat Club Series

This September, 1909 ad notes 3 of the 6 Motor Boat Club Series books that were published in 1909. Generally, when a number of books from the same series are copyrighted in the same year, the thought is that they were all released in one group- a breeder set. Looking at the ad below this does not appear to be the case here. The ad mentions the first three books but not the other three that were also copyrighted in 1909. "Others in preparation for early publication". Thus the first three were published before numbers 4-6. Since this ad is from September, the other books must have been published in the last three months of the year. The first three probably were reprinted at that time.

This may be why the jacket without any red color is very rare. That is, the first three books were published first with the "no red color" jacket and shortly thereafter the first six books were published with the later Format 1 dust jacket. See below for the pictures of these jackets.

Arkansaw Bear Series

This two page flyer advertises The Arkansaw Bear by Albert Bigelow Paine. It is 6.25" x 3.5". It advertises book #1 in the series. The pamphlet has a number of illustrations by Frank Ver Beck. These pictures are all in the book.

This advertising piece was probably published 1902-1910 time frame.

Belles Lettres Series

Here is a nice little advertising piece (5.875 x 3. 375) for the Belles Lettres Series.

It lists 26 volumes in the series at 30 cents each. Since the first 28 volumes were published in 1896, this dates the flyer to 1896.

Boys and Girls Booklovers Series

A new advertising flyer has been discovered for series #56. It was found in a Young People's Library-Format 3 book which was published in 1905.
This two page pamphlet notes that books #17-21 were in preparation meaning that the earlier numbered books were published in a separate print run- probably early 1905- whereas the last few books were probably published together in late 1905.

Boys and Girls Classics (new)

Here is a new advertising flyer for this series of fifteen books. The one sheet advertisement which is 9 x 3.25 shows an example of a book cover and lists all of the books.

This series had a number of cover pictures all of which were made from different linen swatches. See http://henryaltemus.com/series/series57.htm.

The books initially came in labeled boxes but later some were issued with dust jackets. Frequently there is confusion between these books and those from the Young People's Library. This is because the interiors of the books of the same title are identical including the title page which states "Young People's Library".

The date of publication can be confusing also since Altemus often put the copyright date on the title page. This series' books can be dated by studying the ads in the back of the book. The series was published between 1908 and 1926.

Shown below with the flyer are cover, box and dust jacket examples.

The Boy’s and Girl’s Series of New Copyrights

1902 Advertising Flyer found
Within a Diplome L’Honneur Series book a one sheet advertising flyer has been discovered. This series was only published in 1902 and both books advertised on the flyer are also 1902 books.

As pictured below, on one side of the flyer is a picture of the frontispiece from the book Gypsy the Talking Dog by Tudor Jenks. The Jenks’ book was originally part of the two volume Jenks’ Talking Animal Series (Series #111). Later, beginning in 1908, it was part of the Little Men and Women Series (Series #125)

The other side of the flyer advertises Wings and Fetters by Florence Morse Kingsley. This book was part of The Boy’s and Girl’s Series of New Copyrights (Series # 60) published in 1901-1902. Of interest is that the picture seen on the flyer does not appear in the book. This book has an illustration page which lists the four glossy pictures found within. None match the flyer’s picture. A puzzle to be sure.

The flyer is 7.25” x 3.25”.

Children of the Bible Series

A wonderful 2 page pamphlet advertising the 10 books of the Children of the Bible Series has been discovered within a Series #137 book (One Syllable Series). This advertisement, as shown below, lists the titles and includes some pictures that are found in several of the books. It is unclear as to the exact date of this piece. The half vellum books were published for a number of years beginning in 1905. The catalogue lists 25 cents as the book price until the teens although the books themselves list 25 cents as well as 50 cents during this era.

I would guess 1905-1912 date.

Advertisements like this probably exist for most Altemus series of the early 1900s and teens. They are exceedingly scarce.