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:  I have a 4 1/4" x 6/1/4" book. It is titled THE BLITHEDALE ROMANCE by Nathaniel Hawthorne. No Dust Jacket. The cover is caramel or tan colored with flowers in each of the four corners and another flower in the middle. The rectangular title plate has the title, the author and then a scroll of Henry Altemus and to the right another scroll - Philadelphia. Then there is a picture on another page of Nathaniel Hawthorne on the left side and the page to the right side again has THE BLITHEDALE ROMANCE and underneath Nathaniel Hawthorne and underneath that Philadelphia Henry Altemus. There is another page that has Henry Altemus, Manufacturer. There is no date anywhere. The story is 305 pages. Any idea of what year, etc.?

A:  This is an 1896 published book which is part of the Vademecum Series.

Vademecum Series

Q:  When was "The Water-Babies" A Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby, by Charles Kngsley, published?

The cover is dark green with almost a black-green center panel, edges and spine. There appears to be some writing on the spine, but it is not legible.
I appreciate any help you can give.

A:  Your copy of The Water-Babies was published as part of the Vademecum Series in 1907. It originally came with a glassine dust jacket (flimsy transparent paper) in a labeled box.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Greetings, I found a great condition copy of Marmion by Sir Walter Scott and it seems very old. In the back it lists a lot of other books from this company. Is there any way to find out its age? Also is it a part of a series.

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1908. This multi volumed, multi authored series of reprints was published between 1894 and 1926. Every year or two the cover changed. It originally was boxed. Your book is very nice but has very little value. The exception would be if there is a collector of the author or particular title.

Vademecum Series - Later numbering

Q:  a copy of Emerson's essays ...... It was published by Henry Altemus, copyright 1899, and had "first edition" apparently stamped(?) on the title page, (the different font and ink color led me to believe it was applied after the initial printing/binding). The cover is a plain brown with some embossed flowers which appear to have had some color at some point in time. A hand-written inscription on the first page showed that the book had been given as a Christmas gift - also in 1899. ... Can you tell me any more about this book?

A:  Your book was part of the Vademecum Series. This series was published from 1894-1926. It consisted of numerous reprints-fiction, non fiction, poetry, religious etc. The cover format changed more than 30 times. Some years there might be as many as three different formats of the same title within this series. At its peak it consisted of 187 books.

Your book was published in 1899. The cover decoration of this format came in many different colors. I am enclosing a blue cover for your interest. Altemus did the Emerson title in at least 21 series beginning in 1892.

Vademecum Series (later numbering)

Q:  I bought this book at a Goodwill yesterday and I was trying to find the year that this was published. This is the only information on the book and it is 634 pages long. Pleas send me any information on this book if you have any.

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series (#180). It was published in 1902.

Vademecum Series (later numbering)

Q:  I hope you can help me. I have Treasure Island, 271 pages, the 1st says "To The Hesitating Purchaser . . .", and the 2nd says "TO S. L. O., . . . . by his affectionate friend, THE AUTHOR". The book lists other Henry Altemus Company publications in the back. I'm trying to determine when this was published and the value.

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series (Series #180). This was a set of books which was multi authored and consisted of many titles. Your book was published in the mid teens or later. Originally it had gold gilt on the cover which apparently has worn off over the years. The book also came with a jacket.

Without a jacket in subpar condition I do not think the book has any more than nominal value. It is relatively common.

Vademecum Series (later numbering)

Q:  I have the 1899 hardback edition of A Christmas Carol in Prose. I have attached a photo of the book. Please give me any information on the rarity or non-rarity of this book.

A:  Your book was part of the Vademecum series and was published in 1900. This multi-volume series of reprints was published between 1894 and 1926 and at its peak had 187 titles. The covers as well as the titles included varied from year to year. The books originally were boxed.

Valenciennes Series

Q:  Hi! I have a book (Tales from Shakspeare) that I am trying to figure out it's age. I couldn't find an example of it on your website. Can you help me with that? I've attached pictures for your reference. Thank you for your help!

A:  Your book is part of the Valenciennes Series and was published in 1897.
See: Henry Altemus Company - Valenciennes Series (earlier numbering) 181

It originally came in a labeled box.
It is a reprint.

Valenciennes Series

Q:  Hello,

Attached are a couple of pictures. I am having issues dating this book (Undine). When I searched for the title nothing came up and this title did not come up under the author's name either. on your site. Any information would be great!

Thank you.

A:  Your book is part of the Valenciennes Series and was published in 1897. It is a reprint as are all the titles in this series.

See: http://henryaltemus.com/series/series181.htm

These books originally came within a labeled box.

Valenciennes Series

Q:  Hello, I was wondering about a book I saw on ebay. i was wondering if it is a first edition like the seller suggests it might be? Any information on this book would be greatly appreciated.

"HERES A VERY OLD ANTIQUE BOOK "POEMS" BY EDGAR ALLAN POE PUBLISHED IN (1895). ITS ACTUALLY IN GOOD CONDITION FOR BEING 118 YEARS OLD.. THE COVERS ARE STILL ATTACHED, THE BINDING IS GOOD & THE PAGES ARE IN GREAT CONDITION. I BELIVE THIS IS A 1st EDITION OF THIS BOOK, IT HAS 5 PLATES I COUNTED MIGHT HAVE MISSED ONE."

A:  The book on Ebay is an 1897 book which was published in the Valenciennes Series.

Altemus published this same group of poems in several series as early as 1895. So it is not an Altemus first edition. Also other publishers printed these poems prior to Altemus. So it is not a first edition in any sense.

As is frequently the case with Altemus books, sellers do not do any research and misidentify the books. But unfortunately most buyers take the word of the seller at face value. This book sold for $61. Probably about $50 more than it's worth.