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.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  Can you provide information on this book.

Evangeline and Other Poems

Henry Altemus Company

If you could provide value, that would be nice.

A:  Your book is part of the Petit Trianon Series.

During the years of this series' publication, the cover and to a lesser degree the titles were changed every year or two.

The "pedestal" books were published in 1903-1904. If you look at the pictures, you can see that this format came in suede, pink, blue, and beige.

The suede books are the least common in this format but because the books are all late reprints, they have little value.

You never know when someone just has to have a certain book so you never can be certain what price a book might bring. Generally speaking though, your book only has nominal value.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  I am attempting to date my pretty copy of Legends of the Province-House by Nathaniel Hawthorne. After looking at your site I am assuming 1899. Am I correct? Thank you for any information you might provide me!

A:  Well you are close on the date but not right. The actual date of publication is 1903-1904. You can see your book here: Series 143. It is part of the Petit Trianon Series that is an Altemus publisher's series of reprints. There were multiple different cover designs for this series. The key to dating it is the pattern on the left side of the cover. Note how your book's pattern matches the others in the 1903-1904 group. I suspect that a picture or copyright in your book says 1899. This indicates when Altemus first published this title not when your particular book was published.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  I recently purchased a Henry Altemus book at a garage sale for 15 cents. After looking the book over I decided to research it on the publishers web site. The copyright page is dated for 1899 by Henry Altemus. Not publishing company. The book is the snow image by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I cannot find any other items in the book that refers it to a series. Is this considered an unknown book? Do you think the book has greater value? Thanks for your time.

A:  Actually that website on Altemus is mine. Your book can be found at Series 143. It is part of an Altemus publisher's series-The Petit Trianon Series. It was published in 1899. It has little collector value.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  I can not find any information on this book and its cover. "Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Can you help?

A:  This book is part of Series #143 The Petit Trianon Series. Your book can be found here: Series 143

It is shown with the 1899 books. The key in identifying this book is the pattern on the left side of the cover. It is characteristic of the 1899 books in this series. There have been numerous right sided cover decorations. Thus far I have seen 24 different patterns. Incidentally, this format originally came in a labeled box.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  I was wondering if you could tell me how old this book is and possibly how much it is worth

A:  Your book was published in 1901-1902.

See Petit Trianon Series

It has only nominal value.

This book like many of the books from this series, the Love and Friendship Series and the In His Name Series during any one year had an unchanging pattern on the left of the front cover. On the right of the cover however was one of 16 different flowers. They can be seen at the series site noted above.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  Can you help me identify this book of Poe's Poems? There is no copyright date in it, and I'd love to know how old it is. I can't find any covers like it online. Every page is intact, but no page with the copyright date. It was printed in Philadelphia by the Henry Altemus Company. In the back is a listing of other publications of Henry Altemus Company that are advertised as having Title pages, etched portraits, full cloth ivory finish and embossed gold and inlaid colors with side titles, boxed for 40 cents, with a second list of gift books for 50 cents each. There is also a listing of 'new' publications - Galopoff, the Talking Pony, by Tudor Jenks,Gypsy, the Talking Dog, by Tudor Jenks, Caps and Capers, by Bagrielle E. Jackson, Doughnuts and Diplomas, by Gabrielle E Jackson, For prey and Spolls; or The Boy Buccaneer, by Fred A Ober, and Tommy Foster's Adventures, by Fred A Ober. Since those are listed as new, I looked up Tommy Foster's Adventures, by Fred A Ober and found that it was published in 1901. That would mean that this Poe's Poems is at least that old, right? What is it's value?

A:  This book is part of the Petit Trianon Series. This series consisted of numerous books which were all reprints of previously published works. Fiction, non fiction, essays, poetry, short stories all are seen in this series. Your book is the 1901-1902 version of this series. In those years the left side has been seen in blue, pink, and white. The blue and the pink are less common than the white. 16 different flower pictures have been seen on the right half of the cover. Yours is #3-Rose

These Poe's reprints are very common. Despite that, they are frequently advertised incorrectly as first editions and sell for relatively high sums on some auction sites. Good for the seller but unfortunate for the buyer.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  Would you mind taking a look at this book for me? I have had a hard time finding one exactly like it. MARMION: A TALE OF A FLODDEN FIELD

A:  Your book can be found in the Petit Trianon Series here Series 143 in the 1901-1902 published books.

The cover illustration was done by Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939). He was a well know Czech artist who excelled in the art nouveau area. He illustrated magazine covers, book covers, posters etc.

He illustrated two of the the Petit Trianon 1901-1902 covers. This one is called Poetry. Altemus modified the picture a bit as can be seen with the side by side comparison. If you look carefully, it appears that on the Altemus cover the woman has her elbows on a book.

In 1901 the Vademecum Series (#180) has 4 Mucha covers.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  I have a second edition of The Scarlet Letter put out by Henry Altemus Company. I have not been able to locate any information from the book, other than it being a second edition. On your website I have not been able to locate any other book that looks like it. I was wondering if you could deliver some information about the novel for me?

A:  Actually your book is not the second edition of this title. Altemus reprinted the second edition plates in totality-including the preface.

Your book is part of the Petit Trianon Series and was published in 1906-1907. It originally came within a labeled box.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  I have a book published by Henry Altemus Company, Poems by Oliver Wendell Holmes. The book is about 4 1/2 inches wide and 6 1/2 inches long. 186 pages. The front hardcover has pink, white and green flowers. A fancy design is embossed in gold. I cannot find a date. The print seems to be embossed like it was pressed to print. The contents start out with Cambrigde Churchyard, old Ironsides The last reader, Our Yankee Girls etc. Is there anyway to date this book?? Thanks.

A:  Your book was published in 1901-02 as part of the Petit Trianon Series. Without the original box and because of its poor shape it probably has very little value.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  I am having a hard time identifying any type of date for this book (see image attachment). Could you please tell me more about this book, specifically date and print, issue number, etc.

A:  Your book is part of the Petit Trianon Series and was published in 1903-1904. This was a large multi-volume multi-authored Series of reprints of fiction and nonfiction books published between 1896-1910. There were numerous formats which generally changed on a yearly basis.