Henry Altemus Company

Juvenile Series Ad- 1915 (Series #1-34)

This flyer has 4 panels and is 13 x 6.25. The side that has the book cover pictures is identical to the 1920 Series Book flyer. Based on the advertisements this pamphlet was published in 1915. The latest books listed are the 1915 College Girls Series and no other later books in that or any other series are seen.

Juvenile Series Advertisement #2- 1911- Series #1-34

This pamphlet has 6 panels per side and is 19.5 x 6. A number of 1911 are listed but no 1912 books. Thus the 1911 date. Also as can be noted, the 1910 flyer lists the series books at $1.00 each while by 1911 the price had come down to 50 cents.

Juvenile Series Advertisement #2a- 1911- Series #1-34

This pamphlet has 6 panels per side and is 19.5 x 6. A number of 1911 are listed but no 1912 books. Thus the 1911 date. Also as can be noted, the 1910 flyer lists the series books at $1.00 each while by 1911 the price had come down to 50 cents. This flyer differs from Series Advertisement #2 only at the bottom of the flyer where this one only says Cloth Illustrated as opposed to #2 which states- Handsomely illustrated and splendid....

Juvenile Series Ad - 1914 (Series #1-34)

This flyer has 4 panels and is 13 x 6.25. The side that has the book cover pictures is identical to the 1920 Series Book flyer. Based on the advertisements this pamphlet was published in 1914-1915. The latest books listed are the 1914 College Girls Series and no other later books in that or any other series are seen.

Juvenile Series Advertising Flyer- 1916- (Series #1-34)

This is another example of a 4 panel pamphlet that is 13 x 6.25.

This flyer differs from the 1914 and 1920 cover pictures aside in that underneath the boy exclaiming "An Altemus book...Oh Joy" is an advertisement for the Conquest of the United Series Series (a 1916 series). On the book title list side this pamphlet lists #6 in the College Girl's Series which was publshed in 1916. No later books are listed.

Juvenile Series Ad- 1920 (Series #1-34)

This flyer advertises various Boys' and Girls' Series books. Interestingly the latest book is the shown is the Pony Riders Boys with the Texas Rangers which is a 1920 book. Other series do not show books that were published in the late teens. For instance, the College Girls Series (#9) lists 4 books the latest of which was published in 1914 but does not list the 1915 book.

Usually Altemus advertising would show all the series up to a certain date and there would not be this disparity in the books listed and not listed. Nonetheless this flyer must date from 1920 based on the book listed.

The flyer has 4 panels per side and is 13 x 6.25.

Altemus & Co. Ledger/ Blank Books

This ledger was published by Altemus & Co. The exact date cannot be determined but the book contains information that is dated in 1925. Altemus & Co. was at the Fourth Street address at that time. The Altemus stamp as shown below is pasted on the inside front cover of the book. A careful inspection does not reveal any mention of Altemus on the binding or anywhere else within the ledger. The ledger is 9.5 x 12. On the spine the name of the owner is embossed in gold.

Altemus Bindery

Here is another example from the Altemus bindery. This book, Christmas Blossoms and New Year's Wreath from 1849 by Uncle Thomas, was published by E.H. Butler & Co. As can be seen, the words Altemus Binder are engraved at the bottom of the book within the gilt pattern.

Altemus & Co. Books

Although the main imprints used by Altemus were Henry Altemus and Henry Altemus Company, the Altemus & Co. imprint can be found on early Bibles from the 1870's, scrapbooks and photograph albums. The Altemus & Company press also printed various volumes for groups mostly in and around Philadelphia. These books were generally produced in small quantities and are quite scarce.

Examples are The Tenth Annual Report of the Women's Christian Association of Germantown in 1881, the By-Laws of the Kensington Hospital for Women in 1867, and a small booklet entitled the Bachelors Barge Club of Philadelphia. This latter volume published in 1914 is shown below.

Interestingly enough this small book lists the names of the members of the Barge Club and when they joined. Henry Altemus Sr.'s four sons, all who were involved with the publishing Company, were members. Henry Jr., Howard, Robert and Roland.

Altemus Bindery

Here is an example of the Altemus book bindery. This book, The Poetical Works of Rogers, Campbell, J. Montgomery, Lamb Kirke White was published by Grigg & Elliot, a Philadelphia company, in 1847. If you look very closely at the top of the book's front cover, you can see the words J. T. Altemus ...Binder Philad. This shows again the difficulty of finding Altemus bindings in the 1840's and 1850's.