First Edition Harry Potter Book Sold For Five-Figure Sum In Chiswick

Hardback copy of Harry Potter & the Philosopher's Stone fetches £27,500

A rare hard-back first edition of JK Rowlings book, 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' has sold at Chiswick Auctions for a five figure sum.

The book which featured the words '1 wand' twice in the list on page 53, was sold for £27,500 to a UK buyer on the internet, as bidding went above the pre-sale estimate of £15,000.

The copy had its original pictorial boards, restored and re-laminated to a high standard, new end-papers, original end-paper book and library ink stamp to the verso of its’ title-page.

While other First Editions are usually very worn, this copy was in good condition.

500 of the hardback books were printed and 5,150 copies of the paperback – all at exactly the same time. The one for auction was a hardback – making it one of the rare ones and had been in a private collection since publication.

Expert Clive Moss commented:“Harry Potter & The Philosopher's Stone is the corner stone of all the Harry Potter books, and as it was only produced in hardback in a very small quantity very sort after. Most were sent to schools and read to pieces. This copy, although with some restoration, was a better than average copy, and thus achieved a very good and better than expected result in our auction.”

September 26, 2019