Q: What is the value of this book (Blue Beard)? How should I store it?

A: Your book is part of the Banbury Cross Series. This ten book series of fairy tales originally were issued with dust jackets. This book without a dust jacket is quite common. I do not think your method of storage can hurt its value.

Q: Hello, I recently aquired the book The Scarlet Letter. It appears to be dated 1899 the cover is different than the ones you have listed can you tell me more of this book. There is no illustrations or pictures and says Henry Altemus Company Philadelphia.

A: This book is part of the Petit Trianon Series. This publisher’s series of reprints changed its cover on a yearly basis. (http://henryaltemus.com/series/series143.htm).

Your book’s cover was published in 1901-1902. During these years the lady on the left can be found with any one of sixteen flower pictures on the right.

Q: Hello, I obtained this book from an estate sale (The Young Engineers in Mexico). Was wondering what the worth was and if it is a desirable collectible. I have attached photos for your review. Thank you very much.

A: This book is part of the Young Engineers Series (http://henryaltemus.com/series/series34.htm). This is part of the third format of this series and was published in the mid-late 1920’s. Without a dust jacket these Altemus juvenile series books seldom sell for more than a few dollars. Because your book is not in the best shape, you most likely will have difficulty selling it at any price.

Q: I came across this book (A Christmas Carol) in my father’s belongings. I wondered what it might be worth and where I might go to sell it?

A: Your book was published in 1900 as part of the Vademecum Series. http://henryaltemus.com/series/series180.htm
The books of this series are all reprints and in 1900 came in a labeled box.

Although A Christmas Carol is a very well known and love book, these rather ordinary reprints seldom sell for more than a few dollars.

Q: I’m am trying to find out info on this book (A Child’s Story of the New Testament). Can you help me out? One Syllable series, copyright 1900, by Henry Altemus.

A: Your book is part of the One-Syllable Series. http://henryaltemus.com/series/series137.htm. This series of books was written with small children in mind since the text mostly consists of one syllable words.

This series has four formats and this book is part of Format 2. This title however was not part of Format 1. Format two books can be separated into earlier and later versions by the coloring of the design on the left side of the cover. The later books are beige whereas the earlier books (your book) have been seen in various colors.

The books of this format all came with a brown uncoated dust jacket. See below.

For interest I am including pictures of this title in the Format 3 and Format 4 books.

Dust jacket of Format 2

Format 3

Format 4

This 32 page advertising pamphlet for Altemus’ juvenile series books is exceptionally uncommon. I have seen two such pamphlets (including this one) over the years. This piece is 6.375 x 4.5.

Based on the ads in the back of the pamphlet I believe that this advertising piece is from 1913. (Five Automobile Girls-but not six-indicating a 1913 ad). Also no books published after 1913 are listed in the ads.

Advertisements:

Five boys’ juvenile series are highlighted with full page ads that show the book’s cover. Four of the five have an excerpt from the book in the pamphlet.

Interestingly this pamphlet has a store name, P. B. Magrane Store, stamped on it. Most likely Altemus made these advertising pamphlets available to stores which thereafter could individualize them. Really, an excellent way for Altemus to market its books.

What is fascinating is that the store advertised the books for sale at 25 cents even though the price on the books was actually 50 cents. Perhaps the store got a bulk deal on the books or maybe was willing to take less profit per book to get the customer into their store.

The P. B. Magrane Store in Lynn, Massachusetts , like most large department stores before the era of free standing book stores (now coming to an end) had a book department.

Patrick Byrne Magrane (1852-1933) had immigrated from Ireland. He founded his namesake store in 1876 in Lynn, Mass. The store was still in business in the 1950’s.

Q: Could you please help me with some information concerning this book (Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin)? I would like to know the publishing date and value.
Thank you,

A: Your book belongs to one of two series. Both of these series have very similar covers but the lettering of Series 59 (http://henryaltemus.com/series/series59.htm) is brownish (like your book) whereas the lettering on the covers of Series 58 books (http://henryaltemus.com/series/series58.htm) is gold.

So I think your book belongs to the later series (#59). Series 59 advertises the Little Men and Women Series in the back ads.

If you are unsure, let me know. I can easily date your book if I know what ads are in the back.

(“Yes, I do find the ad for Little Men and Women.”) –With this information the date of this book is 1909-1910.

Q: I purchased this book at a thrift store and I am just curious to know a publishing date and whatever other info I could possibly find out about it. If you could help me out that would be fantastic.
It is The Sketch Book by Washington Irving.

A: Your book is part of the Petit Trianon Series and was published in 1903-1904. This series is comprised of titles which are reprints of fiction, poetry, the classics, essays, etc. See: http://henryaltemus.com/series/series143.htm.

All the books from this year originally came in a labeled box.

The pedestal on the left of the cover is characteristic of all the books in this series published in 1903-1904. The left side has been seen in pink, blue and beige. There is also a suede variant. Any one of sixteen different flower pictures is a possibility on the right half of the cover.

M.A. Donohue Company reprinted seven Henry Altemus Company juvenile series beginning in 1934. One of those series was the Aircraft Boys Series.

This one book series was first published by Altemus in 1932. (http://henryaltemus.com/series/series1.htm) Originally a second book was planned. On the last page of the Altemus book a second book, Aircraft Boys in the Mayan Temples was mentioned as the next book in the series. With the demise of Altemus’ publishing business, this book was never printed. The Donohue book does not mention the Mayan Temples book.

The dust jacket cover pictures for both the Donohue and Altemus books are the same. The book cover is blindstamped with title and author in black lettering. Lettering differences can be seen below.

Note that the title on the Donohue cover is different from that on the dust jacket (and the title page) i.e. Airplane not Aircraft Boys. An interesting error not present on the Altemus book.

Dust Jacket	Donohue Cover	Altemus Cover
Altemus book last page	Donohue book last page

Format 1 of the Annapolis Series has the brown uncoated dust jackets. I am adding a new dust jacket picture to the website today-Dave Darrin’s Third Year at Annapolis.

At first glance all the jackets of this format look the same. There are some key differences found on the spine however. The earliest jacket spine does not have the series name written on it. The latest dust jacket has the “Dick Prescott Books” near the bottom of the spine.

Since the interiors of the books with the two later jackets are identical, it is important to examine the dust jacket to determine the priorities of these books. See http://henryaltemus.com/series/series2.htm for more information about this series.

The cover designs were done by the Decorative Designers.

Format 1 Dust Jacket- early

Format 1 Dust Jacket- later

Format 1 Dust Jacket- latest