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 was wondering if you could tell me how old this book is and possibly how much it is worth

A:  Your book was published in 1901-1902.

See Petit Trianon Series

It has only nominal value.

This book like many of the books from this series, the Love and Friendship Series and the In His Name Series during any one year had an unchanging pattern on the left of the front cover. On the right of the cover however was one of 16 different flowers. They can be seen at the series site noted above.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  Can you help me identify this book of Poe's Poems? There is no copyright date in it, and I'd love to know how old it is. I can't find any covers like it online. Every page is intact, but no page with the copyright date. It was printed in Philadelphia by the Henry Altemus Company. In the back is a listing of other publications of Henry Altemus Company that are advertised as having Title pages, etched portraits, full cloth ivory finish and embossed gold and inlaid colors with side titles, boxed for 40 cents, with a second list of gift books for 50 cents each. There is also a listing of 'new' publications - Galopoff, the Talking Pony, by Tudor Jenks,Gypsy, the Talking Dog, by Tudor Jenks, Caps and Capers, by Bagrielle E. Jackson, Doughnuts and Diplomas, by Gabrielle E Jackson, For prey and Spolls; or The Boy Buccaneer, by Fred A Ober, and Tommy Foster's Adventures, by Fred A Ober. Since those are listed as new, I looked up Tommy Foster's Adventures, by Fred A Ober and found that it was published in 1901. That would mean that this Poe's Poems is at least that old, right? What is it's value?

A:  This book is part of the Petit Trianon Series. This series consisted of numerous books which were all reprints of previously published works. Fiction, non fiction, essays, poetry, short stories all are seen in this series. Your book is the 1901-1902 version of this series. In those years the left side has been seen in blue, pink, and white. The blue and the pink are less common than the white. 16 different flower pictures have been seen on the right half of the cover. Yours is #3-Rose

These Poe's reprints are very common. Despite that, they are frequently advertised incorrectly as first editions and sell for relatively high sums on some auction sites. Good for the seller but unfortunate for the buyer.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  Would you mind taking a look at this book for me? I have had a hard time finding one exactly like it. MARMION: A TALE OF A FLODDEN FIELD

A:  Your book can be found in the Petit Trianon Series here Series 143 in the 1901-1902 published books.

The cover illustration was done by Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939). He was a well know Czech artist who excelled in the art nouveau area. He illustrated magazine covers, book covers, posters etc.

He illustrated two of the the Petit Trianon 1901-1902 covers. This one is called Poetry. Altemus modified the picture a bit as can be seen with the side by side comparison. If you look carefully, it appears that on the Altemus cover the woman has her elbows on a book.

In 1901 the Vademecum Series (#180) has 4 Mucha covers.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  I have a second edition of The Scarlet Letter put out by Henry Altemus Company. I have not been able to locate any information from the book, other than it being a second edition. On your website I have not been able to locate any other book that looks like it. I was wondering if you could deliver some information about the novel for me?

A:  Actually your book is not the second edition of this title. Altemus reprinted the second edition plates in totality-including the preface.

Your book is part of the Petit Trianon Series and was published in 1906-1907. It originally came within a labeled box.

Petit Trianon Series

Q:  I have a book published by Henry Altemus Company, Poems by Oliver Wendell Holmes. The book is about 4 1/2 inches wide and 6 1/2 inches long. 186 pages. The front hardcover has pink, white and green flowers. A fancy design is embossed in gold. I cannot find a date. The print seems to be embossed like it was pressed to print. The contents start out with Cambrigde Churchyard, old Ironsides The last reader, Our Yankee Girls etc. Is there anyway to date this book?? Thanks.

A:  Your book was published in 1901-02 as part of the Petit Trianon Series. Without the original box and because of its poor shape it probably has very little value.

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.