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.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Please give me any information regarding:
The Blithedale Romance (The Blithdale Romance, on the cover)
By Nathaniel Hawthorne
In great condition. Given as a gift in 1902.
What is worth? Thank you

A:  Your book is a reprint and was published in 1902 as part of the Vademecum Series.

See: Vademecum Series for variant covers published during 1902.

This book only has nominal value.

Vademecum Series

Q:  I have a really old Cranford book with your name on the publishing part. Any value?

A:  Your book is a reprint published in 1907 as part of the Vademecum Series. In this shape it has no monetary value.

More than 40 different appliqué pictures have been seen within this front cover template.

The pictures (European oil paintings) in some instances can be combined to make up larger pictures.

For more information see: http://henryaltemus.com/vademecum.htm

Vademecum Series

Q:  Any information you can give me on this book would be useful. Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1899.

All the titles in this series are reprints. Originally this book was sold within a labeled box.

This cover has been seen in a number of different colors. See here.

It has nominal monetary value.

Vademecum Series

Q:  This book belonged to my great grandfather. What is the current value, if any, as it is being passed on to family members? Greatly appreciated.
The Crucifixion of Philip Strong

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series.

This series contains a group of books, all unrelated, that are reprints. Each year or so Altemus would reprint these titles with a new decorative cover.

Your book was published in 1900. It originally came within a labeled box. It only has nominal value.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Can you identify the publishing date for this "Black Beauty" book? Is there any value to it?

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1903. More than 40 different appliqués were used on the front cover of the books of this format.

These books originally came within a labeled box. See here.

This book is a reprint and only has nominal value.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Can you tell me about this book? The Lays of Ancient Rome. No dates anywhere in the book, but other books are offered in the back from $.40 to $1.25. Thanks!

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series. It was published in 1904.

It is a reprint with nominal value.

It originally was sold with a labeled box. See here.

Vademecum Series

Q:  I have four books and I am trying to find out more information about them. I have attached photos of the covers.

They are Bryant's Poems, Evangeline and Other Poems, Milton's Poems, and Holmes' Poems. They were my wife's grandfathers.

I appreciate you taking the time to help me.

A:  Your books are from the Vademecum Series and were published in 1905-1906.

As with all of the title in this series, they are reprints. Originally they came within a labeled box. An example is shown here.

None if these books have very collectible titles and therefore only have nominal value.

Vademecum Series

Q:  Can you give me info. on this book - Emerson's Essays Second Series published by Henry Altemus Co in Phila?

A:  Your book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published between 1909 and 1912.

It is a reprint and originally was sold within a labeled box. An example is shown here.

It is not a title that is in demand and thus it only has nominal value.

Vademecum Series/Leinbach and Bro.

Q:  I acquired an Altemus book that appears to have been made for a local business in Reading Pa to give to customers. Mosses from an Old Manse

Its ad says they were in business since 1865 and reference 35 yrs which would put publication at around 1900.

Can you provide any info?

A:  Altemus had a long relationship with Leinbach and Bro., a Reading, Pa. department store. As early as 1892 and as late as 1915 Leinbach gave away Altemus books as some type of promotion. The books had an advertisement for Leinbach in the front and the back. Usually on the back cover there was a stamped "Compliments of Leinbach & Bro.".

For more information see: Leinbach and Bro.

The book above is a 1903 book from the Vademecum Series.

Vademecum Series

Q:  I found your website and wondered if you could help determine the market price of The Cricket on the Hearth published by Henry Altemus.
Thanks much.

A:  This book is part of the Vademecum Series and was published in 1905-1906.

During this year four different flower patterns were placed as paste-ons (appliqués) on the covers. See here.

The covers were published in a number of different colors and the books came in a labeled box. See here.

All of the titles in this series are reprints so only the most collectible ones have any significant value.

This title is not among the valuable ones (in my opinion).