Monthly Archives: September 2009

Unknown Series

Here are books from a series. I am just unsure which series they are part of. I have seen three titles in two different colors with this same cover pattern. Clearly these books are part of a publisher’s series. Because of the Henry Altemus imprint we know the book is a post-1900 published.

The possibilities include:

1. #48 Beauxarts Series
2. #115 La Belle Fleur Series
3. #118 L’Art Nouveau Series
4. #180 Vademecum Series

In order to determine which series they are part of, I will need to get either a boxed book or a dust jacket which undoubtedly will have the series name on it.

Unknown Series

Here is another book which I am quite sure belongs to a series. I am just unsure which one.

The size of the book as well as the text is identical to the same title (The Man Without a Country) in the Altemus Library (Series # 38). The cover pattern is quite different though. There are also the same similarities with the books of the Wyncote Series (#198) but again the covers are different.

The Crestmont Series (#72) is also a possibility but I am unsure what those covers look like. Since the catalogue states that they have gilt edges however, it is unlikely this book belongs to that series because its edges are plain.

Until I see another book with this cover pattern, I will be unable to categorize it for sure.

20th Century Photographic Albums

The latest group of photographic albums were published in the late teens and twenties. These albums were quite a departure from the much more elegant earlier ones. Now the albums’ cloth covers had either sewed backs or the so-called extension backs tied together with a shoelace like cord. The pages (leaves) are light cardboard on which pictures can be taped- not like the previous albums in which photos were inserted into the thick pages.

There are different styles based on the size of the cover and the number of leaves.
The numbering below is from the Altemus catalogue. It is presumed but not known whether the missing numbers below (100, 400, 500) represented other albums at one time.

Style number Leaves
     
200 5.5 x 7″ inches 25 Sewed- Back
300 50 Sewed- Back
600 50 Loose-Leaf Extension back
700 7 x 10 inches 50 Sewed- Back
800 50 Loose-Leaf Extension back
900 9 x 14 inches 50 Sewed-Back
1000 10 x 13 inches 50 Loose-Leaf Extension Back

#200

#200

#600

Question & Answer Series 180

Q: I have a book I found in a Thrift Store a few years ago and cannot find any info on how much it is worth or if it is a collectible.

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
Henry Morley Introduction
Henry Altemus Publication Philadelphia

A: Your book was published in 1901 as part of the Vademecum Series.
http://henryaltemus.com/vademecum.htm

The cover illustration was done by Alphonse Mucha as part of his seasons illustrations. It is spring.

See also http://henryaltemus.com/series/series180.htm

The book is very nice but has very little value.
Of interest is that I have yet to see Mucha’s autumn. I have seen the other three seasons numerous times.