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.

Poems We Love

Q:  I have a copy of "Lucile" that appears to be Velvet Calf with gold on top. It’s in fairly good condition I'd say (I’m not any expert) with just the bottom of the book cover being bent a little probably from being upright on a shelf. I lay it flat. It is clearly green but is faded on front.

Something I find quite interesting is there are multiple pages that appear to be uncut on the bottom edge. The front simply says "LUCILE" embossed in gold and a gold embossed harp in the lower right corner.

I believe this may have been part of a box set? Could you possibly give me some information on this book?

A:  Your book is part of the ten title Poem's We Love Series. All of the volumes were published between 1912 and 1915 and are reprints.

They originally came within a labeled box. An example is shown here.

Poems We Love Series

Q:  Please advise value. Note that condition excellent. Cover leather but no publish date. Idylls of the King

A:  Your book is from Poems We Love Series. This ten book series of reprinted titles was published between 1912-1915. The volumes originally came within a labeled box, an example of which is shown here. Your book has nominal value.

Poems We Love Series

Q:  I found this old book while helping my Mother (84-years old) clean out her house. She says it belonged to her Mother. She is not sure where her Mother got it.

The book is not in good condition. It was wrapped in old tissue paper when I found it. The cover is a reddish-brown suede with gold foil stamp lettering, "BARRACK ROOM BALLADS AND DITTIES," and a "harp-style" musical instrument logo in the bottom right corner.

The title page has the same title name plus author, Rudyard Kipling. Below the author name is the publisher, "Philadelphia, Henry Altemus Company." The page before the title page has a photo of the author, author name, and in small italics, "Frontispiece."

Based on the information from your website, this publisher did not publish suede covers earlier than 1902. I'm not sure if this book has value or, better yet, what to do with it.

A:  Your book was published between 1912-1915 as part of the Poems We Love Series. The limp velvet calf covers came in either brown or green. Each of the ten books in this series originally was published with a labeled box. An example is shown here.

It is a reprint with no significant value.

Poems We Love Series

Q:  Hi. Just found your website. Incredible help and very thorough. Thanks for putting it up. I recently acquired a copy of Barrack Room Ballads and Ditties. I know price is subjective but in your opinion what is a reasonable price?

A:  This book is part of the ten book Poems We Love Series. Each of these limp velvet calf books were published in either green or brown calf and originally came within a labeled box. (See example here). They were published between 1912 and 1915 and all are reprint editions. $10 is not unreasonable.

Poems We Love Series

Q:  Hello. Here is a lovely little book (Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam). I’d love to know more about it and any value it may have. Many of the pages are uncut. Gilt on cover and top of pages is in wonderful condition. Henry Altemus Company Philadelphia on the inside. More pics available from every angle if wanted. Thanks.

A:  Your book is part of the Poems We Love Series. This ten book series was published between 1912-1915. The books are bound in limp velvet calf and have been seen in green or brown. When originally sold it came in a labeled box. A picture of the box is here.

The titles are all reprints, not especially collectible and thus have only nominal value (despite the very fine condition of your book).

Poems We Love Series

Q:  I found this book (The Raven and Other Poems) on a website and would love to get an idea of when it was printed. I have attached a picture of it.

Thank you very much for your time!

A:  Hello,
It was published between 1912 and 1915 in the "Poems We Love" Series.

It originally came within a labeled box.

The $55 asking price is significantly more than this $10-20 book is worth.

Poems We Love Series

Q:  I have an older suede leather bound book titled A Child's Garden Of Verses. Can you tell me the year it was published and the approximate value? I have attached photos.

A:  Your book is part of the Poems We Love Series.

It was published between 1912 and 1915. Originally all of the books in this series came in a labeled box. An example is shown here.

This book only has nominal value.

Poems We Love Series

Q:  We have a very old small book (The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam) appearing to be published by your firm. A search found some information about the title as part of the Petit Trianon Series 143. But the cover does not match any of those in that series website. Here and in 2 following emails are photos of cover and title page and opposite page art. The cover feels like a soft suede.

Can you help with a year of publication please? (I did find a Q & A about possible value of the Petite version and it was indicated that the value was nominal.)

A:  Your book is part of the Poems We Love Series. See ../series/series146.htm

It was published between 1913 and 1915 and originally came in a labeled box.

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 ../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-- Series 146

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

It has only nominal value.