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.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Please inform me re: date of publishing and any other interesting particulars. Thank you. The Courtship of Miles Standish

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1915. Originally this book came within a labeled box. It is a reprint as are all of the books in this series. It has only nominal value.

Vademecum Series

Q:  I see that this book (The Cricket on the Hearth) is a reprint. The book says copyright 1899 but the web site says 1901. I found this book in an antique shop and picked it up for 12.00. The pages seem to be loose and one of the pages were taped back in. I was wondering if you might be able to tell me what the value of this book is. Thank you for your time.

A:  This book is part of Series 180 Vademecum Series. It was published in 1901. As you noted, it is a reprint and as such it has very little value. Altemus published this title in hundreds of formats and since the title is not a "special" one, there is very little demand for it.

I think you would be lucky to sell it for more than a couple of dollars.

Vademecum Series

Q:  What can you tell me about this book? A Christmas Carol

A:  Your book was published in 1905-1906 as part of the Vademecum Series. It is a reprint which originally came with a labeled box. It only has nominal value.

Vademecum Series

Q:  I’m including a picture of the covers of a book of Longfellow’s poems (Vol. I &II). There are no dates in either of these books. In the back of these books is a list of Altemus’ Illustrated Vademecum Series. Can you give me some information regarding the dates these volumes were printed and what they might appraise for. Thank you very much for your interest.

A:  These books are part of the Vademecum Series and were published in 1903. They originally came within labeled boxes.

They are reprints and only have nominal value.

Vademecum Series

Q:  I recently picked up a book and it seems to me that it is part of the Vademecum Series. It is Ralph Waldo Emerson's Essays Second Series. Just wanted to know the publishing year and perhaps any more info regarding the painter of the applique. Picture is attached.

A:  You have a 1907 book. See Vademecum Series for more information.

During the early 1900's there were several Vademecum Series formats that had parts of European paintings as paste-on's on the front covers. Your book's paste-on (appliqué) is part of a larger picture.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Hi - I don't know if your site is still maintained or not, but found this book recently and figured it couldn't hurt to ask you to identify it. Based on what I've read, I've only figured out that it was after 1900. It is the Courtship of Miles Standish.

Thank you.

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1908. It originally came with a box. A representative sample of a box is shown here.

As with all of the titles in this series, it is a reprint and has only nominal value.

Vademecum Series

Q:  I am looking to see if this book (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland) has any value. Thank you!

A:  This book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1901.

It is a reprint and originally came within a labeled box. These 1901 publications have been seen with more than 40 different front cover paste-on paintings. Five different color 1901 books are known so far.

Unless an Alice in Wonderland collector has to have this format, the book has little value.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Front cover and inside illustration The Scarlet Letter, printed 1900 (Henry Altemus Company Philadelphia), Vademecum Series. Your website shows this cover on 'Black Beauty'. What is value? Someone is selling same on ebay, item # 360563665636 for $1,499.95. Thanks for info.

A:  This book was published in 1900 as part of the Vademecum Series. It originally came within a labeled box. As with all the titles in this series, it is a reprint.

This is a book that sells, if at all, for a few dollars.

Anyone can list anything on EBay for any price. The trick is to sell, not just list, at the high price.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Can you help me pin point a year for this one (Lucile)? I have found similar, but not exact on your web site. Think I have narrowed down the dates from 1909 - 1926, but would like a more precise date if available. Photos attached. Thank you for any help you can give.

A:  This book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published between 1909 and 1912. It originally came within a labeled red box.

This book as well as all the other books in this series is a reprint and only has nominal value.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Idylls of the King. Any help would be amazing. I can't find any title page giving copyright or anything. Thank you!

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published between 1909-1912.

Originally it came in a red labeled box.

At one time there was a paste-on (appliqué) on the bottom middle of the front cover. You can see what this looked like on the site.

Your book is a reprint and unfortunately has no value.