WEATHER ALERT

First edition ‘Harry Potter’ book, with JK Rowling’s notes and drawings, sold for $228,000

Advertisement

Advertise with us

LONDON - For fans of the boy wizard, this could be the most coveted copy of all the "Harry Potter" books in the world.

Read this article for free:


or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Subscribe and receive a limited-edition Free Press branded hat or tote.

Digital Subscription

One year of digital access for only $205*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles
Start now

*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/05/2013 (4875 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

LONDON – For fans of the boy wizard, this could be the most coveted copy of all the “Harry Potter” books in the world.

A first edition copy of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” that contains author J.K. Rowling’s notes and original illustrations fetched 150,000 pounds ($228,000) at a London auction on Tuesday.

Sotheby’s said the work, offered as part of a charity book sale jointly organized with the English PEN writers’ association, was sold to an anonymous bidder by telephone.

Sotheby's director of the department of printed books and manuscripts Dr Philip Errington poses for photographers by holding a first edition copy of the first Harry Potter book
Sotheby's director of the department of printed books and manuscripts Dr Philip Errington poses for photographers by holding a first edition copy of the first Harry Potter book "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" containing annotations and illustrations by author J.K. Rowling on top of a stack of other annotated first edition books featuring at auction, during a photocall organized for the media at the auction house's premises in London, Monday, May 20, 2013. The books will be offered for sale as part of the "First Editions, Second Thoughts" auction on May 21, for which there are no price estimates available in advance as it is a charity sale. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

Rowling peppered the book with many personal annotations, including editorial decisions, comments on the process of writing and a note on how she came to create the game of Quidditch.

She also drew about two dozen illustrations in the copy, including a sleeping baby Harry on a door step and an Albus Dumbledore Chocolate Frog card.

As part of the fundraising event, Rowling and dozens of other bestselling authors were asked to “scribble second thoughts, marginalia or drawings” on a first-edition copy of one of their books.

A copy of Roald Dahl’s bestselling children’s book “Matilda” containing new drawings by illustrator Quentin Blake fetched 30,000 pounds ($45,500), while an annotated copy of Kazuo Ishiguro’s acclaimed novel “The Remains of the Day” was sold for 18,000 pounds ($27,300).

Other participating authors in the charity sale included Ian McEwan, Seamus Heaney, Lionel Shriver and Yann Martel.

In all, the sale raised a total of 439,200 pounds ($666,310).

Report Error Submit a Tip

More Stories

Don’t miss these 10 concerts during a jam-packed season

Holly Harris 6 minute read Preview

Don’t miss these 10 concerts during a jam-packed season

Holly Harris 6 minute read Yesterday at 2:01 AM CDT

Shorter days and dipping temperatures also trumpet the launch of another jam-packed arts season, with a full slate of world-class concerts.

Read
Yesterday at 2:01 AM CDT

Concrete doc befits brutalist Winnipeg

Ben Waldman 4 minute read Preview

Concrete doc befits brutalist Winnipeg

Ben Waldman 4 minute read Yesterday at 5:58 PM CDT

Moviegoers across North America are pounding the pavement and lining up around the block to see The History of Concrete, small-screen documentarian John Wilson’s feature-length debut.

Read
Yesterday at 5:58 PM CDT

Mayor introduces charter change motion to remove council members charged with crimes

Joyanne Pursaga 5 minute read Preview

Mayor introduces charter change motion to remove council members charged with crimes

Joyanne Pursaga 5 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 6:11 PM CDT

Mayor Scott Gillingham is urging council to move forward with his plan to force a paid leave of absence on elected civic officials charged with criminal offence.

The mayor introduced a new “notice of motion” at Thursday’s city council meeting that calls on the province to change the City of Winnipeg Charter to allow the process, days after Transcona Coun. Russ Wyatt registered to run for re-election despite facing sexual assault charges.

“This is about the electorate, the people of the City of Winnipeg who elect members of council, the mayor, to public office, to serve them. There should be no distraction, there should be confidence and public trust that people of Winnipeg can have for their elected officials,” said Gillingham.

Union leaders, the mayor and some councillors have publicly urged Wyatt to step aside from his council role to deal with the charges.

Read
Updated: Yesterday at 6:11 PM CDT

Concrete documentary aided by filmmaker’s tender, affecting manner

Alison Gillmor 5 minute read Preview

Concrete documentary aided by filmmaker’s tender, affecting manner

Alison Gillmor 5 minute read Yesterday at 6:06 PM CDT

The title sounds direct, straight-up and, well, concrete.

This is, however, a sweetly aimless, sneakily hilarious, completely unclassifiable documentary.

If you’re a real concrete wonk, you might end up frustrated. Yes, there will be some wild revelations about the world’s most common building material, but this is not exactly a comprehensive examination.

If you’re a John Wilson fan, on the other hand, you’ll find exactly what you want here. Known for his HBO series How To With John Wilson, the New York-based creator makes his move to the big screen with The History of Concrete, and that means more bizarro street footage, more funny business signs, and more encounters with weird and wonderful NYC randos.

Read
Yesterday at 6:06 PM CDT

You’d only regret not acting on longtime crush

Maureen Scurfield 4 minute read Yesterday at 2:00 AM CDT

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: For years I had a big crush on my older sister’s hot-looking best friend who was often over at our house. My sister found out about my crush and told me, “I’ll kill you, if you go after my friend!” I was crushed at the time, and kept my distance, although I still had erotic dreams about that girl a lot.

This fall my sister is going to university out of province, and her friend is still here in Winnipeg, going to the same college as I am. I ran into her recently at a mall. She looked me up and down and said, “Wow!” Was she teasing me like a little boy or was she actually flirting with me now my sister’s out of the way?

More importantly, do I need my sister’s permission to ask out this friend of hers now she lives in Ontario? Please help!

— Still Awkward, But Interested, North Kildonan

How confusing; seems there’s more than one candidate in Hanover named Shayne Barkman

Dan Lett 5 minute read Preview

How confusing; seems there’s more than one candidate in Hanover named Shayne Barkman

Dan Lett 5 minute read Yesterday at 6:33 PM CDT

It’s not entirely clear when or why Hanover trustee Shayne Barkman became one of Manitoba’s best-known anti-LGBTTQ+ crusaders.

Back in 2022, when he ran as a candidate for Hanover school board for the first time, there was nary a hint that socially conservative culture wars were going to be a large part of his identity as an elected official.

In a Steinbach Online profile published before the 2022 municipal elections, Barkman highlighted his background as a successful farmer. He said he was entering politics to be a “listening ear” who could promote understanding.

“I would love to kind of just be a voice of reason amongst all the problems coming down the pipe,” Barkman said

Read
Yesterday at 6:33 PM CDT