Henry Altemus Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1842 |
| Founder | Henry Altemus |
| Defunct | 1936 |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia , United States |
| Products | Books, photographic albums, Bible editions, juvenile series |
The Henry Altemus Company was a publishing enterprise located in Philadelphia that operated between 1842 and 1936.
History
Initially functioning as a bookbinding workshop, the firm rose to recognition when Henry Altemus obtained a patent in 1863 for a unique binding technique designed specifically for photographic albums. These albums constituted a significant portion of the company's income until the mid-1880s, at which point the business transitioned towards publishing Bible editions. Beginning in 1889, publications carried the Henry Altemus imprint, encompassing a wide array of titles and formats.
The company issued over two hundred distinct series, with more than 95% of their publications produced as part of series collections. Notable among these were the Young People's Library, Wee Books for Wee Folks, and various juvenile series that included works by authors such as H. Irving Hancock.
References
Further reading
- Cary Sternick, The Henry Altemus Company: A History and Pictorial Bibliography, The Woodlands, Texas: Cary Sternick, 2005.
- Cary Sternick, A Bibliography of 19th Century Children's Series Books, The Woodlands, Texas: Cary Sternick, 2003.
External links
- Henry Altemus – a website dedicated to Henry Altemus and his range of books and series