Q: Could you please tell me the age of this book (Uncle Tom’s Cabin) and how much I would ask for it since I’m trying to sell it? Please let me know at your earliest convenience.

A: This book is part of the Vademecum Series (http://www.henryaltemus.com/series/series180.htm) and was published between 1909 and 1912. It was originally sold within a red labeled box.

Although it is a well known title, this edition is a reprint and because of the huge number of reprints available, it only has nominal value.

Shown below is a sample box.

Q: Good afternoon Altemus expert,
My siblings and I recently inherited my Father’s 1895 Philadelphia Edition (see attached photo’s.) We’re having trouble finding information on the Internet about its resale value. Can you help us?

A: Bibles were a mainstay of the Henry Altemus publishing firm in the 1880’s and 1890’s. (http://www.henryaltemus.com/bibles/bibles.htm). Photographic albums which had been a large Altemus revenue producer were replaced by Bibles in the 1880’s just as books replaced Bibles in the 1890’s.

I have seen 62 different cover variants (yours is shown as B8 on the Bible webpage) of the oversized Bibles which were published between 1884 and the mid-1890’s. Bibles of the 1870’s had covers similar to the Altemus photographic albums.

The contents of these latter Bibles varied (see webpage) and most had Gustave Dore illustrations. They are large heavy books and because of that are somewhat hard to find with perfect bindings.

Numerous companies published similar Bibles during this era and because of that most of them have little value. Bible collectors generally will not pay more than $50-75 even when the Bibles are in pretty good shape.

Q: I have a first series edition of Emerson’s Essays that I bought a few years back. It’s a beautiful book, and one of the most valued item I own to me. I want to find out the year it was published. As I said, it’s a first edition, Altemus, and was published in Philadelphia, PA. Here are pictures of the book itself:

A: Your book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1899. It is a reprint-not a first edition.

By 1899 Altemus had published this title in numerous formats. Other publishers also printed this book in many different series prior to your book’s publication.

Emerson died in 1882 and these Essays were published first in the 1840’s.

It only has nominal value.

This 15 title series of books are reprints and the interior text, including the title pages, is identical to that of the Young People’s Library. The latter books frequently have an early copyright on their title page. That is one reason why the volumes in this series are frequently mistaken as being turn of the century publications when actually this series was published between 1908 and 1926.

An example is shown here in which the book has the Young People’s Library title page with an 1898 copyright but was not actually published until 1910.

The books were published with linen covers. Each wraparound cover contains part of a larger picture. A number of different pictures were used in this series. A couple of examples are shown here (more on the series page):


Each book in this series was originally sold within a labeled floral box. Shown below.

For more information, see Boys and Girls Classics

This little inscription from the author was found in a first edition book. It is a “Yawp”.

To ? Gee Whiz. What a great thing a Yawp is; and yet It will have to get More goodness to be Half as great as charity! Won’t it? Most Sincerely W.K. Lampton 330 W. 51st St NYC Dec. 12th-1901

For more information, see Non Series #150

Q: thank you 🙂 tried searching but it didn’t come up, but I am new to the site. thanks again

A: This book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1907.

All of the volumes of this series are reprints and in 1907 were sold within a labeled box (See below).

In 1907 the Vademecum Series’ books were published in a number of different colors. More than 40 appliqué pictures have been noted on these books.