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.

Sanspareil Series

Q:  This is The Scarlett Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne.
I am wondering if it has any value.

A:  Your book is part of the Sanspareil series and was published in 1899.

See: Henry Altemus Company - Sanspareil Series 163 (later numbering-1899)

It is a reprint and unfortunately only has nominal value.

Sanspareil Series

Q:  A Wonder Book. Nathaniel Hawthorne. Illustrated. No publication date. Inscribed with Mary Brooks signature, class of Reduman S. S. Ephiphany 1900. Miss Banks Class.

A:  Your book was published in 1899 as part of the Sanspareil Series. This is the cover pattern for all of the 110 titles of this year. All of the volumes are reprints.
Henry Altemus Company - Sanspareil Series 163
The covers have been seen in several colors and originally this book came with a dust jacket. See here.

Sanspareil Series

Q:  I just received this copy of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Louis Carroll and I am struggling to find any clues to the origins I'd this book (such as the age, series, or worth) and I was hoping you could give me some insight, I saw a copy of Black Beauty on Amazon with the same hard cover but neither have a dust cover so although I know is published by Altemus I don't know which copy this is.

A:  Your book is part of the Sanspareil Series and was published in 1899. It originally came with a dust jacket.

During this year, a number of different color covers were published. Some of these in addition to a representative dust jacket picture are shown on the series page.

There are quite a few "Alice" collectors. The Altemus Alice books that have a picture on the cover seem to sell for much higher prices than the publisher's series Alice's. Thus, unless you find a collector that just has to have this format, your book will probably not sell for very much.

Sanspareil Series

Q:  Hello there Sir, so I'm a fairly novice book collector and recently my uncle passed and left me this beautiful Altemus book of Weird Tales. It looks like one of the later series of reprints but the 1895 copyright page confused me. Is that because when they reprinted they reprint everything including the original copyright page? Anyways any help identifying would be appreciated, thanks!

A:  This book was published in 1899 as part of the Sanspareil Series. It originally came with a dust jacket, an example of which is shown here. All the books in this series are reprints.

The 1895 on the Altemus copyright page indicates either when this title was first published by Altemus or when this edition was first published by Altemus. Unfortunately this can make it difficult to know what you have in terms of whether your book is a reprint or an actual first edition. The publisher's series' titles that Altemus published are all reprints. This includes your book.

Sanspareil Series

Q:  I just purchased this book at a vintage book shop. There is no date that I can find in the book and I am curious as to when it's from.

A:  Your book is from the Sanspareil Series (../series/series163.htm) and was published in 1899. It was part of this large publisher's series of reprints. During this year there were a number of different cover colors. The books of this series originally came with a dust jacket. A sample is shown below.

Because the books are all reprints, they have little value.

Sanspareil Series

Q:  I would like to know what series this book is or any information you can give me on this book? It's copyright date is 1895 and titled Poe's Poems. Value?

A:  Your book was published in 1899 as part of the Sanspareil Series.

See ../series/series163.htm.

It is a reprint and generally sells for only a few dollars. There are a number of Poe collectors that sometimes however will pay more than I think the book is worth.

Sanspareil Series

Q:  Can u tell me anything about this book (Black Beauty)? there are only 4 illustrations. the only color page is opposite the author page. no date. engraved cover.

A:  Your book is from the Sanspareil Series and was published in 1899. This is a publisher's series of reprints. It consists mainly of fiction, poetry, essays, etc. It originally came with a dust jacket.

See ../series/series163.htm

Since the books of this series are all reprints, except for a few special well collected titles, their value is only nominal.

Sanspareil Series

Q:  Hi - My mother recently gave my 7 year old the attached book. He is very fond of it and carries it everywhere. I am worried that it may be more valuable than she readily is aware and should be reshelved. Could you possibly take a look and let me know the history in regards the book?

A:  Your book was published in 1899 as part of the Sanspareil Series.
See Series 163

It only has nominal value so carrying it around won't hurt its value.

Sanspareil Series

Q:  I am wondering if you can help me establish the value of Oliver Wendell Holmes’ “Autocrat of the Breakfast Table” published by Altemus in 1899 as a part of the Sanspareil Series (later numbering).

Cover from your own website (below) matches the cover of the copy I have.

A:  Although you have a nice book, it generally does not sell for more than a few dollars. Generally speaking, unless the title is in great demand (not here), these publisher's series reprints without original boxes or dust jackets have little value.

For more on this series see Sanspareil Series

Sanspareil Series

Q:  Good evening,

I have a very nice hardbound copy of Black Beauty published by Henry Altemus Philadelphia. I am attaching a picture of the book--beautiful cover.

Can you help my by telling me the approximate date of publication on this book????

A:  Your book is part of the multivolume, multiauthored publisher's series called the Sanspareil Series. This series was published in 1898 and 1899. Your book was published in 1899. It originally had a dust jacket.