Did you know that a rare first edition of J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” was sold at auction for more than £45,000 (approx. €53,000)? The book was one of the first 500 printed in 1997, and it features some unique errors, such as a spelling mistake on the lower cover and a doubled mention of ‘1 wand’ on page 53.
Also, alongside this rare first edition of the Harry Potter book, a 1998 first edition copy of “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” and an early 1997 edition of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” with a note written by Rowling were sold for significant amounts.
The auction also featured other high-value items, such as a first edition of “Casino Royale”, the first novel in the James Bond spy series, which was inscribed by the author Ian Fleming. This book was valued between £30,000 and £50,000 and sold for £38,951 (approx. €46,100). Additionally, a 1924 first edition of “When We Were Very Young” by Winnie the Pooh author AA Milne was sold for £15,120 (€17,900).
Cathy Marsden, head of books and manuscripts, expressed delight with the auction results, emphasizing the continued popularity and value of modern first editions by literary giants like Ian Fleming and J.K. Rowling.
