Henry Altemus Company

Young People's Library - Format 3

Ebay description:  SINBAD Aladdin ALI BABA Horse ARABIA 1st Ed 1899 xRARE

Henry Altemus Comany, Philadelphia [PA - USA]
1899
Special Attributes: 1st Edition

The Reality:  Not a first edition or even the first Altemus publication. This book is from the third format of the Young People's Library. This format was first published in 1902. See: http://henryaltemus.com/series/series202F3.htm
This title was first published by Altemus in 1897 in the first format of this series. This picture is shown below:
The Arabian Nights was published numerous times by multiple other publishers prior to the earliest Altemus printing.

Young People's Library, Format 4

Ebay description:  1895 ANTIQUE BOOK-AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
Listed is an 1895 publication by Henry Altemus Co of Philadelphia of Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. ...The paste on picture on the cover is faded and is the same picture as the frontispiece. .... It is 6 1/2 by 5 1/4 inches with 287 pages. There is no publication date or copyright date listed. Other sources list the date as 1895.

The Reality:  I am unaware of any sources that claim this to be an 1895 book. Certainly just the fact that this book was published by Henry Altemus Company makes it a post-1900 book. It is part of The Young People's Library (Format 4) and was published in 1923 or later. The ads in the back of the book would also reveal a number of books not published until the early 1920s. This book originally had a jacket.

Since this book lists no copyright date, the dating process if you are unaware of this series, should start with a review of the ads in the back. In this instance, the ads make the earliest possible publication date obvious.

Young People's Library - Format 4

Ebay description:  1897 Through The Looking Glass, Lewis Carroll book, 1st

Here's a beautiful copy of THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS AND WHAT ALICE FOUND THERE by Lewis Carroll. Philidelphia printing Henry Altemus Company, first edition.

The Reality:  This book was published after 1923 and is not the Altemus first thus or the true first. It is part of the Young People's Library which published this title from 1895-1933 but this format was not published until 1923 plus as part of the 4th format of this series.

Young People's Library - Format 3

Ebay description:  ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND
by LEWIS CARROLL
1897
With 42 illustrations

1st EDITION BY HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY

As you can see from my listings and feedback, I usually do not sell books and I am not a book expert. I inherited a few books form someone who clearly loved and took very good care of them. All in very good condition.

Sales are considered final unless item is substantially misrepresented. If you have any questions, please email. Or if you require more photos of parts of the book which I did not include, please email and I can take more photos and forward them to you.

The Reality:  This is the ultimate in misrepresentation. This seller acknowledges that he is not a book expert. Yet when he was emailed the reality about his book, he chose not to include the information in his listing. Currently the high bidder is at $81. As usual the bidders are low feedback obviously unsophisticated book people who are relying on inaccurate information from a less than candid seller. This book is worth about $10. It is from the third format of this series published not before 1902. Altemus published a number of Alice books prior to this one. The first edition was printed in the 1860s. This edition is very, very common.

Young People's Library - Format 3

Ebay description:  ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND CARROLL FIRST 1ST 1897
1ST Edition by Henry Altemus Philadelphia

The Reality:  This book is part of the Young People's Library -Format 3. This is based on the characteristic spine. It was published no earlier than 1902.

The first Altemus publication of this title was in 1895 in the first format of this series.

http://henryaltemus.com/series/series202F1.htm

This first American edition was published in 1866 by Appleton.

Young People's Library

Ebay description:  ANDERSEN’S FAIRY TALES 1898 ALTEMUS Young People’ Lib.

Special Attributes:
1st Edition

Printing Year: 1898

I think this is the first edition (and possibly only edition) of Altemus Young People’s Library Edition of Andersen’s Fairy Tales, 1898, by Henry Altemus Company (Philadelphia). There is no information on reprinting. The illustrations are fantastic! (See pictures with this listing for a few of them.) .... This copy does not have a dustjacket and I’m not sure that it ever did. Hard covers are soiled and rubbed with a small chunk missing out of the top of the spine and along one edge.

The Reality:  This is a later reprint of this book by Altemus. It is part of the Young People's Library -Format 3. The jacket is shown here. Prior to the printing of this copy (In 1902 or later), The format 1 book as well as the two format 2 books were published. In addition this is a later version of the format 3 book. The earlier format 3 book is shown here. (It is identical to the later format 2 book). See below. For more details about the first two formats of the Young People's Library see the section in the Series listings here on the website.

Young People's Library - Format 3

Ebay description:  Alice In Wonderland 1897 First Ed Color Chromos

A beautiful 1897 copy of Lewis Carroll's "Alice In Wonderland". Published by the Henry Altemus Company, Philadelphia. A first edition of this version. 183 pages. Profusely illustrated with a number of Colored Chromolithos.

The Reality:  Reality. Based on the spine this is a format 3 Young People's Library book and was not published before 1902. Since it was published by the Henry Altemus Company it was published after 1899 since Altemus incorporated in 1900. This format was used in the format 2 books also. Thus, not a first edition in this format and not an 1897 book. In this case, strike 2 and you're out!

Young People's Library

Ebay description:  GRIMM'S FAIRY TALES ~ ORIGINAL DUST JACKET ~ 1898

1st Edition
Printing Year: 1898

The Reality:  As the prices rocket up in Ebay bidding on this item, I wonder why no one bothers to do any research. First it is obviously not a first edition because that was published in the 1820s. Second, it is not even an Altemus first thus. The Henry Altemus Company on the title page (not shown here) as well as the jacket dates it after 1900. The titles on the back of the jacket are typical of a post-1911 Young People's Library Series book. It was in 1911 that the Abbott books were dropped from the series. The spine reveals that this is a format 3 Young People's Library book -1902 or later. I suspect that the ads in the back of the book also are post 1910 ads. Some unsuspecting bidder will end up with a nice book but perhaps not what he thinks it is. But since the seller has shown numerous pictures it is an example of "a fool and his money".

Young People's Library - Format 3

Ebay description:  1897 Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Altemus Library
Considered collectible, this 1897 edition from the Altemus' Young People's Library

The Reality:  This book is part of the Young People's Library - format 3 which was published from 1902- 1920s. The spine which can just be seen in this picture is typical for that format and not the earlier formats. See - http://henryaltemus.com/series/series202F2.htm This book is incredibly common and can be found in better shape quite easily.

Young People's Library - Format 3

Ebay description:  Lewis CARROLL 1897 Alice Looking Glass

Title: Through The Looking Glass And What Alice Found There
Author: Lewis Carroll
Publisher: Printed in Philadelphia: Henry Altemus and Co in 1897 as stated on title page.

50 ILLUSTRATIONS including 4 color.

Description: Great Early Vintage Edition!! A must have copy of this treasured story. Pictorial cover of Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dumb with many illustrations including 4 color ones. Sure to delight any Alice In Wonderland Fan!!

We sell Authentic Antiquarian Books That Are Sure To Become Heirlooms In Your Family. All Of Our Books Are Genuine From Time Period Stated In Auction. They Are Not Reproductions! All Of Our Fine Bindings Come With A Certificate Of Authenticity UPON REQUEST.

The Reality:  Once again someone mistakenly dates an Altemus book without realizing two key facts. Prior to 1900 the title page stated Henry Altemus not Henry Altemus Company as the publisher. Once Henry Altemus incorporated in 1900 all the title pages added Company to the Henry Altemus name. Also remember that in certain series-(the Young People's Library was one of them) Altemus used their original date of publication on the title page.

This book is from the 3rd format (as clearly seen by the characteristic spine) of this series and was not published before 1902. The exact dating could be determined by analyzing the ads.

A certificate of authenticity offered by this seller probably will not change the publication of this book to 1897.