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.

Banbury Cross Series

Q:  I have a book The History of Tom Thumb. To which are added the stories of The Cat And The Mouse and Fire! Fire! Burn Stick! with thirty-eight illustrations. Altemus Banbury Cross Series. I have found other books in this series that are dated the early 1900's but I cannot find anything on this book. Would I be correct in dating this book around that date? Thank you for your help.

A:  All 10 volumes of the Banbury Cross Series were initially published in 1904 (including your book which is #4 in the series). They were reprinted for a number of years thereafter. The earlier books have decorated endpapers. Later the endpapers were plain. Also initially the design on the left of the book was gold. Later it was green.

Beauxarts Series

Q:  Hello, I bought this book (Representative Men) for my Father and we are trying to find out the date it was published and if it has any significant value. Attached are the photos of the cover, and inside pages. From some research I have found it is part of the Vademecum Series, but I cannot seem to find a photo on this site of a cover that looks similar. I would appreciate any information that you can give me, thank you,

A:  Actually your book is part of the Beauxarts Series (See: http://henryaltemus.com/series/series47.htm). It was published in 1897. Each year that the Beauxarts Series was published (1897-1902) it had a different cover format. During this year the cover format has been seen in a number of colors. This publisher's series of titles consists of the reprints of fiction, classics, poetry, essays, etc.

Because your book is a reprint of a not very collectible title, it only has nominal value.

Beauxarts Series

Q:  I haven't been able to find a representation of the cover on my copy of Uncle Tom's Cabin. Based on the signature on the inside cover dated 1897, I am assuming the book is one of the early publishings.
Will you help me determine the value of my book?

A:  Your book is an 1897 publication from the Beauxarts Series. (http://henryaltemus.com/series/series47.htm). All of the books in this publisher's series are reprints of fiction, poetry, essays, etc.

Uncle Tom's Cabin was published by numerous publishing houses in the 1880's and 1890's. Most of these editions are quite common without any distinguishing features.

This Altemus reprint is quite common and generally sells for less than $25 if it sells at all.

Beauxarts Series

Q:  Hello, I have an antique copy of the light of asia, and it says it was published by henry altemus in 1842 or so. Can i have some more information on the book, along with possible worth? Thanks so much!

A:  It was not published in 1842. The 1842 refers to when the company was started by Joseph Altemus, Henry's father. Henry was born in 1833 and probably did not do much work at the age of nine.

Your book was one of many reprints of this title that Altemus published between the early 1890's and the teens. It is part of the Beauxarts Series. (http://henryaltemus.com/series/series47.htm)

Generally these publisher's series reprints only have more than nominal value if they have a collectible title, like Alice in Wonderland for example.

Beauxarts Series

Q:  Hi, I did not see my book on your site. Can you tell me from these images which series it belongs to?
These images are low res. If you need better resolution let me know.

A:  Your book can be found here with the 1898 books. http://henryaltemus.com/series/series47.htm

It is part of the Beauxarts Series which is a publishers series of reprints. It was published in 1898.

Beauxarts Series

Q:  I have this wonderful book. It does not have a date of publication anywhere that I can find.

It was given as a gift on December 25, 1897.

Could you help me with a publication date?

A:  This book was part of the Beauxarts Series. This was a publisher's series of reprints.

Your book was published in 1897.

See http://henryaltemus.com/series/series47.htm for more details.

Beauxarts Series

Q:  My mother sent you the below image of a book we found recently in our basement. It belonged to my late Grandfather and we were just curious to see if you could help us determine if it has any substantial worth, or if it is just a neat collectors item. I will attach the images again for clarity. The info I have from the book is that it is titled Balzac's Short Stories. Published in Philadelphia - 1895. Any info helps, thanks for your time.

A:  Your book is part of the Series 47 Beauxarts Series. This series of reprints is not rare and most of the titles (including yours) have only nominal value.
For more information see http://henryaltemus.com/series/series47.htm.

Beauxarts Series

Q:  After attempting to identify one of my books on your website, I can see why so many people are mis-identifying their Altemus books. I would like to avoid that with your help, if possible. I am now totally confused. I have an Altemus hard cover, TWICE TOLD TALES, Nathanial Hawthorne, Henry Altemus Philadelphia, 6" x 4-1/4" x 1", dark blue cover, gold leaf floral design on cover, black & white illustrations. 4 blank pages precede the title page. Title & author name in red, framed by green flowing floral design surround with publisher & city on bottom ribbon. A Greek or Roman Head symbolic portrait at top of page. Another blank page & then a portrait of Hawthorne in black & white, opposite another title page framed in green floral motif, surrounding title, author & printer in red. Any help as to which series, year or set this belongs to would be greatly appreciated.

A:  This book belongs in the Beauxarts Series. http://henryaltemus.com/series/series47.htm This series published numerous reprints in the areas of the classics, fiction, poetry, etc.

Every year had a new cover. Your book dates from 1897.

Beauxarts Series

Q:  I have a very old Representative Men by Ralph Waldo Emerson and am trying to verify the Henry Altemus printing date. The book is in excellent condition, but there is no copyright date printed. The only date shown is on the cover page, which simply shows “H.A.” on one side of the frame and “1842” on the other side of the frame. However I think that is the Altemus date and not specific to this volume. I know that Emerson wrote this in approximately 1850 and am wondering if I may have come across a 1st Edition?

A:  Your book (which is a reprint) was published as part of the Beauxarts Series (Series #47) in 1897 . This series was published between 1897 and 1902. It consisted of numerous reprinted titles of fiction and nonfiction by many different authors. At its peak it had 178 books. The books initially came boxed.

Beauxarts Series

Q:  would appreciate any info you might have (Romance of a Poor Young Man)

A:  For information on your book look here: http://henryaltemus.com/series/series48.htm

It was published between 1899-1901.

It is a reprint.