Henry Altemus Company

Popular Manuals

Ebay description:  Old RARE 1873 Book WHAT WOMEN SHOULD KNOW. Great old book, by Mrs. E.B. Duffey, copyright 1873 (with no indication it was published any later than that year) ...Philadelphia: Henry Altemus Co. Special Attributes: 1st Edition

The Reality:  Clearly the Henry Altemus Company publisher name indicates that this book was a post-1900 published book. The seller got the copyright correct just not the publisher. She argues that since the copyright was in 1873 that the book could not have been published later than 1890. Notwithstanding that the book was not originally copyrighted by Altemus, she does not understand that some publishers listed the much earlier copyrights of other publishers on the copyright page.

Popular Series of Famous Authors

Ebay description:  FIRST 1ST EDITION HOUSE OF SEVEN 7 GABLES HAWTHORNE

THIS AUCTION IS FOR A FIRST EDITION THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES, BY NATHANIAL HAWTHORNE. IT MEASURES: 5 3/4"H X 4 1/4"W

PUBLISHED BY HENRY ALTEMUS IN 1893

THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO OWN A FIRST EDITION HAWTHORNE ...

The Reality:  Since Nathaniel Hawthorne died in 1864, it is unlikely that the first edition of this popular book was published 29 years thereafter. Actually the first edition was published by Ticknor, Reed and Fields in 1851. AS is usually the case-Altemus did late late reprints of very popular 19th century novels.

Popular Series of Famous Authors

Ebay description:  THE SCARLET LETTER FIRST EDITION
A ROMANCE BY NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE PUBLISHED BY HENRY ALTEMUS OF PHILADELPHIA 1892

The Reality:  The true first edition was published in 1850. Altemus printed this book numerous times but all were reprints. This 1892 book edition is quite common.

Riviere Series

Ebay description:  1851 The Snow Image And Other Twice Told Tales
The Snow Image And Other Twice Told Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne.Illustrated.Published by Henry Altemus Company.No copyright date but there is a preface to book dated November 1st,1851..

The Reality:  Now the reality is that this book is a post 1900 edition (Henry Altemus Company not Henry Altemus) from the Riviere Series (http://henryaltemus.com/series/series158.htm) published in 1901. But the major mistake the seller makes is dating the book based on the preface. Altemus as well as other reprint publishers reproduced the book in toto- everything was reprinted including the dated preface. You just cannot use the preface for dating an Altemus book. Mistakes on the Altemus Hawthorne books are relatively common.

Sanspareil Series

Ebay description:  Tales From Shakespeare: Charles & Mary Lamb: 1878

Book description: Henry Altemus: Philadelphia: 1878. Introduction by A.A. (Rev. Alfred Ainger)368pp. plus ads. Green floral illustrated covers with gilt background and red flowers. Same on spine.

The Reality:  As has been noted in a previous Ebay error involving this title from another Altemus Series, (See: Ebay Errors 30 Nov 2006), the preface has nothing to do with the publication date. This book was published in 1898. The fact that the preface is dated 1878 is irrelevant. Altemus published this title in numerous different series over the years and most often reprinted the 1878 dated preface. The offending preface date is shown here.

Sanspareil Series

Ebay description:  PLAIN TALES FROM THE HILLS Rudyard Kipling 1808 1st Am?

PLAIN TALES FROM THE HILLS by Rudyard Kipling. This small hardcover book is copyright 1808 and I am thinking it may be a First American Edition. Publisher is Henry Altemus of Philadelphia, PA.

The Reality:  This is an 1898 book from the Sanspareil Series. Since Kipling was born in 1865 it is somewhat unlikely he wrote this book in 1808. http://henryaltemus.com/series/series162.htm
The first American edition was published by Macmillan and Co. in 1890.

Sanspareil Series

Ebay description:  The Sketchbook by Washington Irving
1848 edition, used by a schoolboy in 1901!

This 1848 edition was used as a textbook, from about 1901. It was published by Henry Altemus, but no publication date is given. It contains several well-known favorites: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Rip Van Winkle, The Spectre Bridegroom and many others. On the flyleaf, the owner pencilled in his name and address and the date, March 26, 1901. Six illustrations, including the Headless Horseman!

The Reality:  This book is part of the Sanspareil Series and was published in 1899. It is unclear where the seller found the 1848 date. Henry Altemus actually did not take over the company until the 1850s. He was born in 1833.

Sanspareil Series (later numbering)

Ebay description:  1895 Poe's Poems Altemus Small H.C. 1rst edition NR. B 6 1/2" by 4 1/4". Including the Raven. His poems written in youth, and Later poems, ect. Beautiful decorative book, Orange in color with green and chocolate colored flowers.

The Reality:  This is an 1899 edition of this book. It was part of Series #163-Sanspareil Series. This series consists of numerous reprinted works of fiction, poetry, religious books etc. Poe's Poems was a reprint even when Altemus came out with their first reprinted edition of it in 1895 as part of the Vademecum Series (#179).

Standard 12 mos.

Ebay description:  TALES FROM SHAKESPEARE CHARLES LAMB 1895 HC 1ST EDIT ?

THIS AUCTION IS FOR ONE BOOK TITLED ~ TALES FROM SHAKESPEARE BY CHARLES AND MARY LAMB WITH ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-FIVE ILLUSTRATIONS. HENRY ALTEMUS 1895. COPYRIGHTED 1895 BY HENRY ALTEMUS. BELIEVE THIS IS A FIRST EDITION SINCE THE SAME DATE IS ON THE TITLE PAGE AND COPYRIGHT PAGE.

The Reality:  This 1895 edition is not even the first Altemus publication of this title. Altemus first published this title in 1892 as part of the Altemus Library (Series #37). See below:

Charles Lamb died in 1834 and his book was published by numerous publishers before 1892.

Stories We Love Series

Ebay description:  OLD COLLECTOR'S THE SKETCH BOOK WASHINGTON IRVING 1848

UP FOR BID IS THIS WONDERFUL OLD LEATHER BOUND EDITION OF "THE SKETCH BOOK" BY WASHINGTON IRVING. THIS IS THE 1848 REVISED EDITION, PUBLISHED BY THE HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY. HE TELLS OF HIS DIFFICULTIES IN GETTING THIS VOLUME PUBLISHED IN ENGLAND IN "THE PREFACE TO THE REVISED EDITION". AFTER TELLING OF HIS MANY SET BACKS HE INLISTS THE HELP OF SIR WALTER SCOTT TO GET HIS BOOK PUBLISHED. THE VOLUME HAS 33 OF HIS BEST STORIES INCLUDING "RIP VAN WINKLE".

The Reality:  This book is from the 10 volume Stories We Love Series published between 1912-1916. I suspect that this seller is using the date from the preface to date his book. This is an unfortunately common mistake. Many novice book sellers do not realize that the reprint publishers like Altemus reprinted the books in totality- including the early prefaces to the original editions. So they see a dated preface and assume that that is the date of their book's publication.