A rare first edition copy of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” found in a discount bin in a Scottish bookstore in the late 1990s has fetched $69,000 at auction.
The hardcover was one of only 200 early editions of the best-selling children’s book sent to bookshops ahead of its mass publication in 1997, according to Hansons Auctioneers, which sold the treasured literary relic at its Staffordshire salesroom on 11 December.
The lucky seller was an unidentified 58-year-old Scottish woman, who bought the book while visiting the Scottish Highlands with her family that same year.
“I bought the Harry Potter books before anyone really knew about them, or the author,” he told Hansons.
Although his serendipitous discovery predated the Harry Potter mania that swept the world immediately after publication, he recognized the cover and title after reading one of the then unknown authors, JK Rowling’s first publication in The Scotsman newspaper.
“I recognized the distinctive book cover immediately. The bookseller had placed it in a wicker basket ‘bargain bucket’ on the floor,” he told the auction house.
A rare first edition copy of the first Harry Potter novel found in a bookstore bin just sold at auction for $69,000. Courtesy of Hansons/MEGA
“Because it didn’t have a dust jacket, I got a few pounds off the price. Our two children enjoyed the witch story as a bedtime story during the holiday in 1997.”
Years later, the book owner’s children did some online research that led them to believe they had the first edition, but he deemed the copy worthless because of the missing dust jacket. He had no idea what he had was “the holy grail for collectors,” Hansons said.
The book was kept for years, almost forgotten and abandoned, of all places, in a cupboard under the stairs in the family home, much like young Harry Potter’s meager stay at the Dursley house in the novel.
The book was discovered by a 58-year-old Scottish woman visiting the Highlands with her family in 1997. Courtesy Hansons/MEGA
However, when he finally learned that the first print edition was not issued with a dust jacket, he decided to authenticate his copy.
“This first issue is getting harder to find. This must be one of the few copies left in private hands since it was purchased in 1997, said Jim Spencer, Hanson’s resident Harry Potter book expert.
“It is a genuine, honest copy – and a very well-preserved example. These haven’t been paraded around salesrooms or rare or restored book fairs. It’s fresh to market and it deserves to be used as fully as Hogwart’s Express.”
Unaware of its value, the book was kept for years in a cupboard under the stairs in the family home. Courtesy of Hansons/MEGA
Spencer said the specimen was a rare find because of its relatively pristine condition.
“Most examples are quite badly worn, especially ex-library copies. They are often shared among friends and carried around in school backpacks, which in some ways is wonderful, capturing the buzz of Harry Potter when it first gained popularity,” he said.
“However, more traditional collectors are very picky about the situation, and this couldn’t be better.”
The novel, retitled “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” for US audiences, went on to sell more than 120 million copies.
It remains one of the best-selling books of all time.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
