Henry Altemus Company

 

Non Series

 

Trif and Trixy by John Habberton 1897

 

1897

1897

1897

post-1900

 

1897 Title Page

post-1900

 

 

As can be seen in the advertisement below, this book was a big seller. The earlier editions list Trif and Trixy for sale at 35 cents in the ads as opposed to 50 cents in the later books. (See ad pages below)

December 1897 - Publishers' Weekly

 

 

Autographed copy

Here is an 1897 autograph found in an 1897 Trif and Trixy book. The book was presented to A. B. Paine (Albert Bigelow Paine). Paine authored a number of Altemus publications including the Arkansaw Bear Series.

 

 

Autographed copy

Here is another autographed copy of Trif and Trixy. Opposite the signature is a picture of the author, John Habberton. This is a post-1900 book. The signature is dated in 1921. John Habberton died in 1921.
For more information, http://henryaltemus.com/blog/?p=2098.

 

Autograph Inscription

 

 

 

American Series

A Phantom Series is one that is advertised but never published. Altemus advertised a boy’s series called the Ben Lightbody Series in the 1912-1914 era. The series was noted in numerous book and print ads. For whatever reason it was never published.

I have just come across another phantom series. It is mentioned in a periodical called the Critic. The excerpt below comes from the June 19, 1897 issue.

There is no evidence that the "American Series" was ever published. Trif and Trixy was published in 1897. Of great interest is that although many copies (in red and green) show the 1897 date at the base of the title page, there is a way to distinguish the very rare first edition from the later edition.

Look carefully at the page below which is the last page of ads in the back of the book. The earlier 1897 book lists Trif and Trixy at 35 cents whereas the later lists it at 50 cents. Subtle but real. Of course, there is no evidence it was offered at 30 cents which is the phantom series price.

Critic excerpt

Title Page

Ads

For more information on the American Series, click here

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Last Revision August 17, 2014