Henry Altemus Company

Vademecum Series (early numbering)

Ebay description:  1895 1st Edition EDGAR ALLAN POE Weird Tales *Illustrtd
Buy It Now price: US $125.00

1895
First Edition
Weird Tales
by Edgar Allan Poe

Published by Henry Altemus, 1895. This is the First Edition.

Book features a classy looking cover typical of fine books of the Victorian era.
Includes many of Poe's classic tales, such as, The Black Cat, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Gold Bug, The Pit and the Pendulum, plus many more.

The Reality:  First off the book was not published in 1895. Actually it was published in this format in 1896 . See http://henryaltemus.com/series/series179.htm .
A small point but Weird Tales was published in the Vademecum Series in other formats in 1895. Also in 1895 it was published in the Altemus Library in 1895. See http://henryaltemus.com/series/series37.htm . This title was also published in the Fairmount Series in 1895. Thus, a small point but it is important if you are claiming a book is a first edition and it is not.

The other point is that all of the Altemus editions are reprints. Each of the stories in this book have been published before.

The price of $125 is beyond absurd and needs no further comment.

Vademecum Series

Ebay description:  The Ethics of the Dust by John Ruskin 1894 1st edition

The Reality:  Although the seller is correct about the date of publication, he is wrong about the first edition status. The first American was published in 1866 by John Wiley. Henry Altemus published numerous great works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essays etc. in their publisher's series but virtually all of them were reprints.

Vademecum Series

Ebay description:  Heroes & Hero Worship, Carlyle, Henry Altemus, precopyright, appears to be a first edition, "Heroes and Hero Worship"; by Thomas Carlyle; Henry Altemus, Philadelphia, publisher; no copyright date, very old, ornate cover, pre-copyright indicates it was probably 1880 or earlier; on the inside cover, in faded pencilit says either "1888" or "1998";

The Reality:  The first American edition was published by Appleton in 1841. This book which is part of the Vademecum Series was published in 1897.

Vademecum Series

Ebay description:  Rare 1850 Altemus Marvel's Reveries of a Bachelor

Here is an 1850 antiquarian collectible volume titled Reveries of a Bachelor, by IK Marvel. Produced by Henry Altemus of Philadelphia. Several illustration plates throughout this volume, printed in green ink. Inscription by Donald G Mitchell dated May 1892 inside 2nd page appears to be hand written with ink quill pen. Illustration of Donald G. Mitchell opposite title page.

This volume is printed with possible stone or early lithograph process from mid-1800's. I do not have a letter of authenticity however I believe this volume speaks for itself.

The Reality:  This is an 1896 book published as part of the Vademecum Series.

The seller actually invents some "early lithographic process from the mid-1800's" comment to help convince someone of the authenticity of this book's date.

The "inscription by Donald G. Mitchell" is in reality a facsimile signature which can easily be noted by simple inspection.

This is a late reprint. The American first edition was published by Baker and Scribner in 1850. The seller is probably mistaking a preface in the book dated 1850 with the publication date of this book. The preface just like the book was a reprint.

Vademecum Series

Ebay description:  This book is titled The Vicar of Wakefield written by Oliver Goldsmith. It is a first edition published in 1894 by Henry Altemus.

The Reality:  Only a modicum of research would have told the seller that the first edition was published more than 200 years prior to this 1894 edition which was found in the Vademecum Series. Actually, this is not even the first Altemus edition. That book is in the Altemus Library published in 1892. (See bibliography)

Vademecum Series

Ebay description:  AN ANTIQUE 1984 1ST EDITION OF THE FAMOUS HARRIET BECHER STOWE'S "UNCLE TOM'S CABIN..."UNCLE TOM'S CABIN" LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY, WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY W.S. WALSH, PHILIDELPHIA, HENRY ALTEMUS ...THIS IS A MUST FOR THE AVID ANTIQUE BOOK COLLECTOR

The Reality:  Not quite a must for the antique book collector. The first edition was published in 1852 by John Jewett and Co. Subsequently 100s of reprints were published including this 1895 edition from the Vademecum series of reprints.

Vademecum Series

Ebay description:  TALES FROM SHAKSPEARE by Charles & Mary Lamb, Henry Altemus Co, PA, 1st Edition

The Reality:  The first edition of this title was published in 1807 and reprinted hundreds of times. This book is from the Altemus' Vademecum Series and was published between 1909 and 1912.
But Altemus first published this title in 1892 in its Altemus Library.

Thus neither a true first edition or an Altemus first edition.

Vademecum Series

Ebay description:  Count TOLSTOI 1898 1ST ED BOOK "WHAT IS ART?" EXQUISITE

Buy It Now price: US $299.99

YOU ARE BIDDING ON A COUNT LEO TOLSTOI (TOLSTOY) 1898 US PRINTING BY ALTEMUS. APPROX 6.25" X 4.25" X 1". THIS IS A VERY UNUSUAL HARD COVER WITH ORNATE GOLD IMAGES AND SCRIPT AS WELL AS BEAUTIFUL FLORAL IMAGES.

The Reality:  This is a 1905-1906 Vademecum Series (#180) book. One of the numerous reprints that Altemus did of this title. Relatively common reprint and of no particular collector interest.

Henry Altemus did publish this book in 1898 as non series book #144. The first however was published earlier in 1898 by Crowell.

This reprint edition in this marginal condition should not bring more than $5. Presently there are 7 books of this title published by Altemus on ABE. They range from $2.78 to $20. The price of $299 is truly extraordinary. Good luck getting this price.

Vademecum Series

Ebay description:  Old Christmas [From the Sketch Book of Washington Irving]
Irving, Washington

Book Description: Henry Altemus Company, Philadelphia, 1880. Binding is Hard Cover. Undated, ca. 1880. Christmas excerpt from Washington's Sketch Book, illustrated with small engravings throughout,

The Reality:  This is a 1900 published book. Regardless if you can identify the cover or not, the fact that Henry Altemus Company published this book makes it a 1900 or later printed volume. (The book pictured is not the book advertised although the cover and date are the same. This cover was substituted for the seller's book cover for the sake of clarity.)

Vademecum Series

Ebay description:  ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE MULOCK 1898 1ST ED G NR

The Reality:  The first American edition was published in the 1870s by Harpers. This is a Vademecum Series book published in 1899.