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.

Love and Friendship Series

Q:  I am pricing items of my mother’s estate and am wondering if this book has any value. Old Christmas

A:  Your book is from the Love and Friendship Series. Henry Altemus Company - Love and Friendship Series 127

It was published in the early 1900's.
It is a reprint with nominal value.

Love and Friendship Series

Q:  I can't seem to find information on my copy of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow anywhere. The covers just never match up. Could you tell me a bit more about my book and what it's worth?

A:  Your book is from the Love and Friendship Series. See: Henry Altemus Company - Love and Friendship Series 127

It was published in the 1902-1905 range.
It is a reprint and has nominal value (a few dollars).

Love and Friendship Series

Q:  I recently purchased a book called "Spiritual Law" by Emerson. It was published/copyrighted in 1896 by the Henry Altemus Company. After consulting your absolutely amazing website, I realized that there was a difference between the format/look of my book and your information on your website. It mentions that it was part of the Belles-Lettres series and the same format as the Eternal Life Series. Looking at the format description of the Belles-Lettres Series and seeing a photo of the Eternal Life Series format in your Q&A pages, it is clear that my version is somewhat different. Mine is cloth with brown paper and has a book title pasted on the front. Would you have more information on the copy and how much it is worth?

A:  Your book is actually part of the Love and Friendship Series. If you look at the pictures on the series page, you will see that your book matches the Format 5 volumes. Unfortunately, it only has nominal value.

This series was published between 1901 and 1912.

Love and Friendship Series

Q:  Hi, I have a 1896 copyrighted book by Emerson called "Love and Friendship" that was my fathers. It says it is published by the Henry Altemus Company. I can't seem to find an example of this book with the same cover as mine anywhere. Can you help me? Is the copyright correct?

A:  Your book belongs to the Love and Friendship Series.

This series had five different formats. This volume belongs to the first one published between 1901 and 1902.

Format 1 has the stereotyped design on the left half of the cover. The right half of the cover has either one of sixteen flower pictures or a picture of multiple little flowers (as is seen in your book).

These books came with a dust jacket (shown here).

The copyright of your book is correct but the publication date in this instance is years later.

Love and Friendship Series

Q:  Hello my name is Telzey. I recently found this book. I dont believe it has much value. (Please correct me if wrong). can you tell me about this book Rip Van Winkle.

A:  This book is part of the Love and Friendship Series and was published in 1901-1904 era. It is a reprint as are all of the titles in this series.

Originally it came with a dust jacket. An example is shown here.

Love and Friendship Series

Q:  I came across a early copy of "The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow" and was hoping you could provide some insight as to the edition and year published. If possible, could you also render an opinion on the value? Thanks for your assistance.

A:  Your book is part of the Love and Friendship Series. It is part of Format 2. The exact date of publication is not known but the range is between 1902 and around 1905.

This book originally came with a dust jacket. (A sample is shown here.) The format 2 books have been seen with two different colors on the left side of the cover. The right side has one of sixteen different flower pictures.

Your book is a reprint, has little collector interest and will be hard to sell at any price.

Love and Friendship Series

Q:  I came across your website when I was researching the worth of this book (Rip Van Winkle). The copyright date on the inside cover is 1896. Being that old, I would consider it to be in good shape. However it is signed from a teacher to her student on the inside cover and I am not sure what that does to the worth of a book. I am just curious to know what you think this book is worth.

A:  Your book is part of the Love and Friendship Series. ../series/series127.htm. This cover design was seen in the Format 1 books which were first published in 1901.

These books had a stereotypical design on the left of the front cover. On the right was one of sixteen flowers. Your book has the daffodil on it.

Without the dust jacket it only has nominal value.

Love and Friendship Series

Q:  I have a book (The Courting of Dinah Shadd) from my grandmother's estate, and I would like to give it to my son and daughter-in-law. A copy of the cover is attached. The book is in good condition, and was given to my grandmother at some point before 1907 as a Sunday School gift from her teacher.
I have researched as much as I can from your website, and would like to have an approximate value, or any additional information you have have, to include with notes in the book.

The only writing in the book is the notation by the teacher to my grandmother of the gift.

A:  Information about your book can be found here: ../series/series127.htm

It is a reprint and this title is not in great demand.

It only has nominal value.

Love and Friendship Series

Q:  i've had this book since 1975. the title is "laddie" copyrighted in 1897 by henry altemus. i was wondering about the history of the book. also wondering what a book like that is worth.

A:  Your book can be found here: ../series/series127.htm

This series of 33 books originally came with dust jackets. There are five different formats that evolved over the 11 year publication history (1901-1912).

Since it is a reprint of a not very collectible title without the original dust jacket, it only has nominal value.

Love and Friendship Series

Q:  I have had this book since I was about 10 years old and would like to know some history about it. It is The Tribune Primer by Eugene Field. It is in very good shape. A white cover gold flowers on the side and violets on the cover. There is no copyright date so I do not know how old it really is.

A:  Your book belongs to the Love and Friendship Series. It is series #127 in my bibliography. This series was published between 1901-1912. Your book was part of format #2 and was published in the early years of the series. This format had many different flowers on the right with a similar pattern noted on the left. It was originally jacketed.

For your interest, I have enclosed a pic from that format with a different flower. As you can see the flowers are similar and yet different. Probably the book has little more than nominal value.