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.

Boys and Girls Classics

Q:  Hello,
This was our Grandfather's book. Pretty sure he bought it new when he first came to this Country from Norway, sometime around the turn of the 19/20th century.

Indications (inside) are it was printed by Henry Altemus Company, Philadelphia, Copyright 1899. Size is 6.5" x 4.25". Book is complete and fully readable but in frail, degraded condition.

In looking at hundreds of covers for this title, I have not yet found one with the image shown here. Seems unique.

I'd like to know when it was actually printed and anything else you may offer, including info on the cloth-bound cover.

With much appreciation.

A:  Your book is part of the Boys and Girls Classics Series. See: Henry Altemus Company - Boys and Girls Classics (old) Series 58

The books of this series were published between 1899-1906. Altemus incorporated in 1900, so your book has to have been published between 1900 and 1906.

The cover was designed by the Decorative Designers Firm.

On the website there is a flow chart that will enable you to date the book exactly by looking at the ads in the back.

Your volume is a reprint and has minimal value.

Boys and Girls Classics

Q:  Hello, I have owned this book for a long time and was hoping you could authenticate it. I have attached pictures and the copyright stamp from inside the book. I also included a picture of the inscription inside that states the book was received on 12:25/1902 and reading completed on 1/13/1903. I have never altered the book so what you see is how it came to me. Is this authentic? Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

A:  If you are asking if the book is really from around 1903, yes it is.

It is part of the Boys and Girls Classics' Series.

It is a reprint and has nominal value only.

Boys and Girls' Classics

Q:  I am wondering if you can tell me anything about the age and or the value of this book and if you could suggest how I would be able to sell it. Two Years Before the Mast
Thank you.

A:  Your book is part of the 40 title Boys and Girls Classics Series and was published in the early 1900's. You can date it exactly by using this site.

All of the titles in this series are reprints. These books were originally sold in labeled boxes.

Your book only has nominal value.

Boys and Girls Classics

Q:  My wife recently found a copy of Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol for me at a bookstore in Raleigh, North Carolina, and I'm interested in knowing an approximate date of publication. Attached are pictures of the cover, binding, and the inside plate, which holds the only publishing information.

The book is obviously in poor condition, but I'm fascinated by the little tome. =)

The publisher given is "Henry Altemus Company", but there are no dates anywhere inside.

I couldn't find a picture of this particular volume on your website, and there are no dates that I can find in the volume, although there may be some front matter pages missing.

A:  This book is part of the 40 volume Boys and Girls Classics Series. All of the titles are reprints and were published between 1899 and 1906. Each book originally was sold within a labeled box.

Your book can be found here: http://www.henryaltemus.com/series/series58.htm
Information about dating your book is on this page.

Boys and Girls Classics

Q:  Hi, Thanks for getting back to me. Can you tell me anything about this book? Is it from a series, etc.? Twice Told Tales

A:  Your book is part of the Boys and Girls Classics Series. This series was published between 1899-1906.

There is a flow chart on the website which allows you to date your book. This is based on the ads in the back of the book.

Originally your volume came within a labeled box.

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

As an aside, the cover was designed by the Decorative Designers firm.

See: http://bookofbibliomaven.blogspot.com/2009/07/decorative-designers-and-series-books.html

Boys and Girls Classics

Q:  Can you tell me more about the year and edition of this version of Pilgrims Progress?

A:  Your book is part of the Boys and Girls Classics Series. It is a reprint.

This volume originally was sold within a labeled box.

There is a flow chart on the website page that can help you determine the date of publication based on the ads in the back of the book.

It has nominal value.

Boys and Girls Classics

Q:  I'm interested in finding out more about this book. Tanglewood Tales

A:  This book is part of the Boys and Girls Classics Series.

This series had two formats. One with decorative gold gilt within the rectangular boxes on the front cover. One without those gold gilt decorations. (See here)

These book are all reprints and were published between 1899-1906. On the website there is a flow chart which can help you date your book.

They originally came within a labeled box.

Boys and Girls Classics

Q:  Hi! Picture of my book. Any idea of value? Tales From Shakspeare

A:  Your book is part of the Boys and Girls Classics Series. This series was published between 1899 and 1906. All the titles are reprints and originally came within a labeled box (see here).

Except for a few very desirable titles, these books only have nominal value.

Boys and Girls Classics (Old)

Q:  I have a copy of Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin see attachments.
The odd thing is the size of 6.25 X 4.25. Not the 6.50 X 4.25 that is prevalent. There is not writing in the bottom space for the author, but this could because it is an autobiography.
An approximate date and is the size important?
Thank you for your time.

A:  Your book is part of the Boys and Girls Classics Series.

It can be dated by noting the ads in the back of the book and reviewing the dating summary on the series' webpage.

I have several volumes that are of the slightly smaller size. The ads in these variants indicate a 1903 publication.

Boys and Girls Classics

Q:  My daughter found this at estate sale in Michigan. (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland) It is a withdrawn copy from Saginaw library. In the back the Vademecum, Young People's Library and Historical Series are listed. What would be the estimated publication date?

A:  This book is from the Boys and Girls Classics Series. These books were published between 1899-1906. Your volume could not have been an 1899 issue since Altemus incorporated in 1900 and your book noted Henry Altemus Company on the title page.

Thus it was published between 1900 and 1906. It can be dated exactly by using the flow chart on the website and the advertisements in the back of your volume.

The titles in this series are all reprints and originally came within a labeled box, an example of which is shown here.