One of the best Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone first editions ever seen is up for auction – to honour the final wish of a miracle sister.
The hardback copy, one of only 500 books in the first ever print run of JK Rowling’s debut novel in 1997, has been discovered by books expert Jim Spencer. Due to its quality, it carries an estimate of £60,000-£80,000 in Rare Book Auctions’ November sale. However, whatever it achieves its true-life story overshadows the work of fiction.
Jim, director of Rare Book Auctions, said: “There is a heart-breaking tale behind this book. It bears an inscription, ‘Dear Katie, my favourite sister! With all my love, Sarah, 12 August 1997’. Tragically, Katie battled cancer from the age of five and passed away aged only 40. Her family said she was a miracle sister because she survived so much against the odds. Katie knew her book was a first edition and hoped any money raised would go to Sarah’s children. That wish is poised to be honoured.
“I’ve discovered 20 hardback first issues of Philosopher’s Stone from the fabled 500 and this is one of the very best examples I’ve ever seen. My biggest premium-inclusive price achieved one of these fabled books is £86,000. In honour of Katie I’d love to top that. And due to the fact that she and her sister Sarah cared for the book so well there’s a chance that will happen.
“It’s in near-fine, superb condition. There are no signs of it having been read, aside from a minuscule pale spot at the top edge of pages 128/129. These scarce first printings mark the very beginning of the Potter phenomenon and are regarded as the ultimate treasure by collectors.”
Katie’s story by her sister, Sarah
Sarah, 50, a carer, volunteer and mother-of-two from London, (pictured below left with Katie) writes:
This book belonged to my sister, Katie. Even as an adult, she loved children’s adventure and fantasy novels and so when I was browsing through the Bookseller one day at work in 1997, I was interested in an interview with a then unknown author, Joanne Rowling, who’d got a book deal for a children’s fantasy novel about wizards. My sister had almost exhausted children’s fiction in the fantasy genre after my Mum had spent years teaching her to read again after she had cancer as a five year old in 1975. Listening to audiobooks and music helped her through recovery and chemo after surgery to remove a brain tumour.
As soon as I’d read the interview, I popped out to the nearest WHSmith in Victoria Street, London, to pre-order a copy. My sister was 27 at the time and I was 24 and working as an assistant in an academic publishing company. I didn’t think much more about it until the shop called to say the book was available. Katie read the book in one sitting! She loved it so much I decided to read it straight afterwards.
We were both hooked and we pre-ordered the next book in the series as soon as we could. The books brought so much joy to my sister and we’d never read anything like it. I don’t recall there ever being a children’s book before that had appealed to me so much as an adult. Even as Harry Potter’s popularity took off, Katie and I used to have a little joke that we’d ‘discovered’ J. K. Rowling and Harry Potter was ours!
Luckily, my sister and I looked after the book – we’d never turn the corner on a page or break a spine! The book remained in a safe place at my parents’ house. It wasn’t until several years after its publication that we were watching The Generation Game TV show all together as a family when contestants were asked to value certain items including a first edition Philosopher’s Stone. When the expert revealed its value, Katie and I looked at each other, went to the cupboard it was kept in and checked the details. We were sure it was a first edition. After a lot of thought my sister said she wanted to keep it until I had children and so she could give it to them as a present so they could sell it and use the money for something useful.
Under the care of the amazing staff at Great Ormond Street and University College Hospital, London, my sister had survived surgery and recovery as a child but she had brain damage and other disabilities following treatment. It was nothing short of a miracle that she had survived and another miracle that my Mum and sister worked so hard together for Katie to be able to learn to walk and talk again and eventually be able to read for herself and have as good a life as it was possible to. Reading brought so much happiness to her life, especially when Harry Potter entered it in 1997!
My sister fought bravely and gracefully with so much love in her heart until, in 2010, she passed away aged 40.
Katie never got to meet my daughter, Matilda Katie, who was born the following year although they’re very alike. My son, Joseph, was born a couple of years later and recently my parents moved in with us so that we can take care of them.
It was time to move the book from my parents’ to my house. We kept it with us for a few months so that our home could absorb some of its magic. Now we must we carry out my sister’s wishes and provide the gift for my children that she always dreamed of.
The book, Lot 1, is offered in Rare Book Auctions’ November Harry Potter Auction. The online timed sale ends on November 27 at www.the-saleroom.com.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE AUCTION CATALOGUE
Enquiries: Jim Spencer | [email protected]
Address: Rare Book Auctions, 3 Wade Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS13 6HL
Website: www.rarebookauctions.co.uk
Catalogues/bidding: www.the-saleroom.com
