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.