A battered and bruised Harry Potter first edition – bought for 50p and covered in doodles – has stunned at auction.
The rare hardback copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, one of only 500 in the first Potter print run in 1997, was purchased at a charity shop in South Manchester last year.
But its well-thumbed pages, peeling covers and children’s doodles of the boy wizard failed to deter potential buyers. A ‘colossal’ auction battle broke out at Hansons Auctioneers among bidders around the world. (March 9) The hammer finally fell at £15,500 to an online USA bidder – more than five times its top estimate of £2,000-£3,000.
The seller, a Manchester businessman who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “I am astounded. I know it’s a piece of modern history but the result is extraordinary.
“I bought it from a charity shop last November. I didn’t realise it was a first edition. I just spotted the back cover with the image of the wizard and thought it looked interesting. It was only 50p.
“Around Christmas, I decided to contact Hansons to check whether it was a first edition. They confirmed it was – a nice surprise to say the least.”
By contrast, in the same sale Hansons offered a pristine copy of the same book with an estimate of £40,000 to £60,000. It’s owner, a books collector, kept it in darkness to protect it from the light, within a protective cover, for 25 years before deciding to sell. It sold for a hammer price of £69,000 to a private international buyer.
Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers and auctioneer on the day, said: “What a battle for the battered and bruised Potter! We’re calling it the Mancunian Potter because it was found in a charity shop in the city.
“In my opinion, it deserves to be in a museum. Those doodles, penned by a child who loved the book and its characters, encapsulate the power of the Potter phenomenon. It really is quite charming. I’m absolutely delighted for the seller – and the buyer who has purchased a piece of book history.”
Jim Spencer, head of Hansons’ Library Auction, said: “In essence, we had two first issue hardbacks – one carefully preserved and unread, the other thoroughly enjoyed and read to death.
“One was like new, as good as it gets. The other had been read until it broke, enjoyed countless times, even joyfully illustrated by its young fan.
“The question is, which one was loved the most? Or enjoyed the most? Arguably, the damaged one tells its own important story. I always like to imagine historians of the future gazing at something like this, the doodles and naive fan art, the evidence it was read over and over again – it would surely give them a true sense of Harry Potter fever.
“Ordinarily, condition is everything to book collectors, but people who grew up with Pottermania don’t necessarily see bumped corners or peeling laminate – they see history.
“The battered Potter earned our client an incredible return on a 50p investment. Plus, it gives people hope – those Potter first editions are still out there, keep looking.
“The first hardback first issue of Philosopher’s Stone I uncovered for Hansons was bought for £1 at a table top sale in Staffordshire. This 50p Manchester find is the biggest bargain yet.”
The books were sold in Hansons Auctioneers’ Library and Harry Potter Auction on March 9.
To find out more or to arrange a free books/works on paper valuation, please email [email protected].
