Q: Hello, I’ve been meaning to look into the worth of my book, Poe’s Poems. It’s a small little green hardcover book without much information.

I will include some photos for your review.

A: Your book is part of the Classics Series and was published in the 1907-1909 era. It originally came with a dust jacket.

This book will be hard to sell for more than a few dollars.

This 254 page 9.5 x 7 was published with two covers distinguished only by their colors. The earlier book has a copyright page that notes 1915. The later book has no copyright page.

There are eight full color plates that are unattributed. There are also numerous other black and white illustrations.

Earlier edition	Later edition

See also Non Series #97

This 7 x 4.5 book has 273 pages plus ads. There are no illustrations. It was priced at 50 cents.

This book chronicles the story of the 1893 Sea Islands Hurricane which devastated South Carolina’s coastal lowlands.

Here is a contemporaneous book review from the ” Friends’ Intelligencer”.

See also Non Series #130

Altemus published this title in a number of different editions. Some are non series whereas others are part of a series. The cover picture (except for colors and gilt) is the same for all the these titles. Curtis Wager-Smith illustrated the frontispiece. There are numerous other attributed and unattributed pictures mostly taken from other works.

John Habberton (1842-1921) was born in New York and after serving in the Civil War he worked for the New York Herald as an editorial writer. His most famous work was Helen’s babies which was first published by Loring in 1876. During the latter part of the nineteenth century it was among the most popular juvenile books in print. Some of his other books include Budge and Toddie, The Chautauquans, Caleb Wright, Everybody’s Chance, and All He Knew.

Non Series Editions:

These books are 7.5 x 5.25. 280 pages.

The first edition, first impression has all glossy pages. The title page does not have the copyright date on it whereas the copyright page does have the 1900 date. The Ellis History books in the back advertisements cost 75 cents. The rectangle surrounding the the information on the title page is red-lined, not black like in the later books.

Note that the copyright date is on the copyright page not on the title page.

Ellis book price is 75 cents.

The second impression also has all glossy pages. It does however note the 1900 copyright date on the title page and the Ellis books are now listed at $1.00 each. There is no copyright page. The rectangle surrounding the the information on the title page is black-lined, not red like in the earlier books.

Series editions:

Young People’s Library, Format 2 (late 1900)
Note the characteristic spine of the Format 2, Young People’s Library. This book was added to the series (based on the ads) late in 1900. It is 280 pages and is 6.75 x 5.25.

Series #56 Boys and Girls Booklovers Series (1905)
These books have the same cover pictures as the other editions but are smaller in size: 7 x 4.5. They have red lettering on the cover. All 280 pages are on plain paper.

Series #125 Little Men and Women Series (1907-)
This 7.5 x 5. 280 plain paper page book has red lettering on the familiarly illustrated cover. The ads in the back of the book list titles for this series.

See also Non Series #112

This 6.25 x 4.5 title has 93 pages. It was published in boards. There are no illustrations. The original price was 50 cents. The copyright was in 1908 by the Curtis Publishing Company. Curtis published The Saturday Evening Post. The text of this book originally appeared in the May 16, 1908 edition of The Saturday Evening Post. (See below.)

There is no evidence that Altemus published any other editions of this volume.

James H. Collins (1873-), a Detroit native, was an advertising agent as well as a writer. He wrote numerous articles for The Saturday Evening Post on various business topics.

Here is the article from the May 16, 1908 Saturday Evening Post. There are illustrations in the magazine by F. Vaux Wilson.

See also Non Series #73

The first edition of this title was published in wraps and in cloth. The books are 7 x 5 and have 213 pages plus ads. There are a number of maps and unattributed photographs. The book in wraps cost 50 cents. The cloth book was priced at $1.00.

First Edition	First Edition

A second edition published later in 1897 has several new chapters and has 251 pages. This book has endpaper maps and a number of new photographs. The preface is dated September, 1897.

Here is an interesting flyer that advertises Klondike written by L. A. Coolidge. It is 5.75 x 3.5. This piece was published by the Thomson Stationery Company located in Vancouver. Two Klondike books are advertised.

Below is a contemporaneous review of this book.

See also Non Series #84

This 6.25 x 4.5 book has 143 pages. Altemus only published one edition of this book. It has board covers. It originally was priced at 50 cents.

James H. Collins (1873-), a Detroit native, was an advertising agent as well as a writer. He wrote numerous articles for The Saturday Evening Post on various business topics.

Dust jacket	Board covers

See also Non Series #12

There are two editions of this 203 page 7 x 4.5 book. This book was priced at $1.00.

No priority between the editions has been established.

Here is an advertisement for this book.

See also Non Series #75

There are two Altemus formats of this title. The cloth covers have the same picture but there is different colored lettering. One of the books had gold gilt letters whereas the other book has red lettering. There are 17 full page illustrations by John F. Burroughs. The book cost $1.50.

I believe that the gold gilt lettered cover is the first edition-but I am not certain.

See also Non Series #87

This 127 page book is 7.5 x 5.25. This book consists of a number of biblical tales which are written for children. There are fourteen unattributed glossy illustrations. This book cost $1.00.

Earlier editions of this title were published by Davis and Bond as well as The Harmony Shop, both Boston publishing houses. The Howerton Press in Washington, D. C. also published this title.

See also Non Series #21