Attempted Bloggery: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Rare First Edition

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Rare First Edition

Once upon a time in the year 1997 there were only 500 copies to the first printing of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. This book now being offered on the auction block is one of those rare first editions, signed by author J. K. Rowling on a loosely inserted publisher's slip. Who could have guessed what great things the young wizard would have been able to bring about? Besides Albus Dumbledore, I mean.

By the way, we Americans apparently don't philosophize, so our first book in the series was called Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. It sounds less intellectual and less introspective, but it has some fine alliteration.

J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, First edition

ROWLING, J. K. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. London: Bloomsbury, 1997. 8° (197 x 130mm). (Very few spots and some yellow stains to first leaves, ex-library copy with library label on verso of title and barcode sellotaped onto front endpaper.) Original coloured pictorial boards by Thomas Taylor (spine repaired, some creasing and rubbing to joints and corners).FIRST EDITION. EXCEPTIONALLY RARE, ONE OF ABOUT 500 COPIES ONLY. SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR on a loosely-inserted publisher's slip. According to the publishers, some 300 of these copies were distributed to school libraries.