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:  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.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  Hi: I own a book titled “Two Years Before The Mast” written by Richard H. Dana Jr. and published by Henry Altemus Philadelphia. It is a cloth book that measures about 4.25” x 6.5”. The cloth does have a sort of floral pattern on a blue background in the front and on a purple background on the back. On one of the first pages there is a colored sketch of a ship which looks like it’s signed by WH Luki (couldn’t make out the last name) and the date of 1899. This isn’t an original signature though. On the next page it just says Copyright 1895 by Henry Altemus.

A:  Your book is part of the Petit Trianon Series and was published in 1899. Originally this book came within a box. It is not a first edition. Generally your book is worth $5-10. Every now and then someone will pay more but it is usually because they are novice collectors.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  I recently found this copy of Uncle Tom's Cabin and I was wondering if you could tell me something about it. It has a floral design on the cover and on the inside title page the copyright date is 1894, but there is a picture of Stowe on the inside that has a copyright date of 1899 and I was wondering when this book was really printed.
On the title page the publisher is named as "Henry Altemus". I would also like to know any other information about this book you may be able to give me. (I've attached some pics) Thank You

A:  Your book was part of the Petit Trianon Series and was published in 1899. This series was one of reprints of fiction, poetry, essays etc. It ran from 1896-1910 and at its peak consisted of 117 volumes. During these years the cover designs changed every year or so . Thus identifying the year your book was printed is relatively easy. Originally your book came enclosed within a labeled box.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  I have an old book 'Oliver W. Holmes Poems', Philadelphia Henry Altemus Co. There is no copy write date on it, but the first poem is Cambridge Churchyard on pg 13. Could you tell me the date it was printed & what is it worth.
Thank you,
Joanne

A:  Your book was published as part of the Petit Trianon Series in 1901-1902. Because it is in rather rough shape without its original box, I think it only has nominal value. See the question and answer on June 15, 2006 about this series.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  I have a copy of Courtship of Miles Standish from Henry Altemus co. It has other poems also. I was just trying to get information about it because it has no publishing date or any other dates at all. If you have any info. I would appreciate it. I'll send a picture too.

A:  Your book is part of a multi-volume multi-authored set called the Petit-Trianon Series. It was published between 1896-1910 and at its peak had 117 books with numbers between 1-244. Generally every year or so Altemus would change the book cover and the titles which comprised the series. These books originally came boxed but of course the boxes are quite scarce.

Your book was published in late 1904-1905 and was numbered #42 in the series.

Poems We Love Series

Q:  I have a important question to ask. My father gave me a book called "The Song of Hiawatha" by Henry Longfellow. The cover of the book is made of leather which is very frail and fragile. It has 219 pages with notes and vocabulary sections at the end. Inside the first pages is a drawing of "Minnehaha". It was published at The Henry Altemus Company. I was wondering if it could possibly be an original from 1855?

A:  Your book is part of the 10 book Poems We Love Series. It was published between 1912 and 1915. The covers have been seen in brown or green suede. The books originally came in a labeled box.

More information about your book can be found at http://henryaltemus.com/series/series146.htm

It only has nominal value.

Poems We Love Series

Q:  The book, Thanatopsis and Other Poems, is in my possession and I would like more information on how much this book is worth. Please see picture attached. Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

A:  Your book can be found here-- http://henryaltemus.com/series/series146.htm

It is part of the Poems We Love Series. It originally came in a labeled box.

It has only nominal value.

Poems We Love

Q:  I have a small green leather-bound book copy of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, published by Henry Altemus Co but without a publishing date. The leather green except around the edges where it is slightly worn, and turned brownish. The title letters are in gold and there is a gold lyre printed on the cover. The tops of the pages are beautifully gilt in gold and in marvelous condition. The pages have not been cut apart and so the outer edges of the pages are uneven. Is this a printer's proof? It seems unlikely it would have been gilt. More likely, it has just not been fully cut.
Any idea of its value? Any other information you could give me about this beautiful book? Date??

A:  I believe that you have a book from the 10 book series- Poems We Love Series (#146) published in 1912 and reprinted until 1915. The books are occasionally found without page separation. These volumes are seen frequently and although you never know what someone will pay for something, they have little collector value. The exception would be if you had the box that the book came in originally.

I am enclosing a picture of the book format which I think you are describing.

Quiet Hour Series

Q:  Hello,
Please send information you have on this book.

A:  Your book is part of the Quiet Hour Series. Information about this series can be seen at http://henryaltemus.com/series/series153.htm.

Riviere Series

Q:  Hello,
I have attached some photos of the book (Nature, Addresses and Lectures) I have questions about. I found this years ago in an old abandoned house and thought it looked really old. I was just curious you could tell me if its worth anything (monetarily) and about how much. Probably going to hold on to it for awhile but was just curious if it was valuable.

A:  Your book is a reprint and was published in 1901 as part of the Riviere Series. This series consisted of only 87 books and is therefore one of the smaller Altemus publisher's series. All of the titles are reprints. Originally the books came with a dust jacket. The plastic like purple flower is somewhat difficult to find in great shape.

More information can be found at http://henryaltemus.com/series/series158.htm.

It only has nominal value.