Henry Altemus Company

The following are questions submitted via email by our visitors.

If you have a question about Altemus books that you'd like answered please click on the Questions link at the bottom left of this page.

Nathaniel Hawthorne's Works

Q:  I have Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter published Philadelphia Henry Altemus 1892. It is a small, hardcover book, appears to be red leather with a cameo of a woman on the front. Very good conditon. Can you give me an idea of value.

A:  This is a relatively common book despite its age. This book came in several different colors and originally had a dust jacket. It only has nominal value.

Esperance Series

Q:  I recently came into possession of a book by Florence Ridley Havergal titled "Royal Invitation for the Kings' Children" and published by Henry Altemus Company. There is no publishing date and I am wondering who Florence Ridley Havergal was and her relation to Frances Ridley Havergal who I believe was the author of these prayers. I would greatly appreciate it if you could enlighten me.

A:  This book is part of the Esperance Series (Series #79). Published between 1905 and 1909, this 20 book series had only one format. Limp green velvet with gold gilt lettering. It originally came in a labeled box. 6.5 x 4.5.

In His Name Series

Q:  I received a lovely little Henry Altemus volume for Christmas called Evening Comfort, arranged by Elisabeth Robinson Scovil, copyright 1898. What can you tell me about this book? Thank You.

A:  Your book is part of the In His Name Series (Series # 110). The series was published between 1901-1912. The book pictured here is in Format 3- volume 28 out of 46. In order to determine the year of publication, the book's dust jacket is necessary. At the earliest it was published in 1903.

Kipling Series

Q:  I have a copy of Rudyard Kipling’s “Cupid’s Arrows.” It’s in great condition, and has a lovely Indian-looking design on the inside front and back covers.

The book is quite small 4 x 6 ½ inches. The cover is cloth, dark red with Indian designs in green… There is no date anywhere on the book.

Could you tell me how old it is. My guess is around the turn of the century, but the story was published in 1888, I believe..so it could be earlier.

A:  This book was part of the Kipling Series (Series #114). There were 21 Kipling reprints in this series which was published in 1899 and was reprinted until 1901. Your volume is #15 in the series. The 1899 books can be distinguished from the later books by seeing Henry Altemus not Henry Altemus Company at the bottom of the title page. They were originally jacketed.

Mother Goose Series

Q:  I have a copy of Jack and the Bean Stalk and Other Stories that is not dated. I inherited it from my mother. She told me that it had belonged to her grandmother which would date back to the 1800's. I've attached pictures in hopes that you can tell me what year it was published and if it is a 1st Edition.

A:  Your book was part of the Mother Goose Series (#131) that was published for the first time in 1905. This series had four formats of which yours is the second. The second format differs from the first in that the background of the left hand side of the front cover is in white rather than in a color. This format was printed for several years starting in 1906. These books all came jacketed.

Vademecum Series (early numbering)

Q:  I have recently come into possession of a book of “Poems” (Subtitled inside the book as “The Raven and Other Poems”) by Edgar Allan Poe that was published by Altemus in Philadelphia, the book however does not have a date of publication in it. I was wondering if you could look at the pictures attached and give me some idea as to when it was published. Thank you very much for your help.

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series (Series #179) which was published in numerous formats between 1894 and 1926. This series of reprints at its peak had 187 volumes but the number of books and their titles varied from year to year. This particular book was published in 1895. It originally came in a box.

Young People's Library

Q:  I would like to know how to identify Henry Altemus editions. I have a copy of a book titled Vic: The Autobiography of a Fox Terrier. It has a red cloth binding with green and black lettering and pictorial fox terrier. End pages are green flowered with little girl holding a book in her lap. 184 numbered pages. Frontispiece is a Victorian era woman sitting in a chair with her maid looking on and a little fox terrier at her feet looking up: "My poor mistress was quite blind." This book is from the Altemus' Young People's Library and is written by Marie More Marsh. There is no copyright page and it doesn't appear that a copyright page has been torn out, but I suppose it could have been. Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

A:  The book you describe was included in the Young People’s Library Series (#202) between 1900 and 1906. Your volume was published later in the run than the one shown here. It was deleted from the series as of 1907. It originally came jacketed.

Vic, The Autobiography of a Fox Terrier by Marie More Marsh was first published by Henry Altemus in non series form in 1895. (non-series title #139)

Both books are seen here. The non series book is the one that pictures the woman and Vic on the cover.

Banbury Cross Series

Q:  I have a book The History of Tom Thumb. To which are added the stories of The Cat And The Mouse and Fire! Fire! Burn Stick! with thirty-eight illustrations. Altemus Banbury Cross Series. I have found other books in this series that are dated the early 1900's but I cannot find anything on this book. Would I be correct in dating this book around that date? Thank you for your help.

A:  All 10 volumes of the Banbury Cross Series were initially published in 1904 (including your book which is #4 in the series). They were reprinted for a number of years thereafter. The earlier books have decorated endpapers. Later the endpapers were plain. Also initially the design on the left of the book was gold. Later it was green.

Shakespeare's Plays

Q:  I acquired a collection of Shakespeare plays that seam to be published by your company. These are small, almost pocket size books in very good condition and number 25 to the collection. I am trying to find as much information as I can to determine there value. Please help.

Q:  I recently came across 36 hardbound books with Philadelphia Henry Altemus company inside each one. There is no copyright or edition printed in any of the books. Each book is a play by William Shakespeare, starting with Coriolanus, King Richard, Romeo and Juliet, many King Henry plays plus more. Each start with an Introduction. Then the plays begin, stating the scenes and acts all through each one.
I'm curious to know about these books. They are very old. They are hard-bound with a dark reddish/burgundy'ish cover. When were they printed? Are there more of them?

Q:  I have an edition of "The First Part of King Henry IV" by William Shakespeare printed by your company but has no date of when printed. We would like to know the date printed.

A:  Your books are part of a 39 volume Shakespeare Series (#164) that originally came with dust jackets in a box. They were published between 1899 and 1926. Nothing however distinguishes the earlier from the later books except that the 1899 editions say Henry Altemus at the bottom of the title page rather than Henry Altemus Company as is on all of the post-1900 books. Assuming you do not possess the original box, they are quite common and have only nominal value.

Classics Series

Q:  I am not a bibliophile but I've come into possession of 15 copies from the Altemus Classics Series. They measure 5 1/2 x 4 1/4, green covers with gold colored embossed cover designs with floral and vines. The only dating I can find is in The Man Without A Country of which there are two copies in the collection. The dating is: Copyright, 1908, by Howard E. Altemus Published June, 1908.

I found your website but can't find any reference to this series of books which has been handed down to me from my father. I'd be interested in finding more information about these little books -- can you help me find a resource? I thank you in advance for taking time with this for me.

A:  The website is only for new information not in the book. Thus, the Classics Series (Series #69) is not on the website.

The Classics Series was first published in 1907 and was in print until 1921. There were a total of 76 books in the series but in certain years particular books were added or deleted to the list such that only in a few years of publication was the entire list actually done. The name of the series was changed in 1909 to the Slip-in-the-Pocket Series (Series #166) presumably because the size of the books was perfect to slip in the pocket. Only the jackets (which all of these books had originally) ever had the name Slip-in-the-Pocket however.

There are 4 different formats. Most of the books are dark green but the soft leather book has been seen in brown. The format you have is the most common.

I hope that this is helpful. The complete listing with additional information about this series is in the bibliography.