Rare uncorrected Harry Potter book with JK Rowling's name misspelt to be sold at auction
25.06.2024 - 05:03
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
A rare and uncorrected proof of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone that spelled J.R Rowling's name wrong is set to go under the hammer at an action in the US.
The book, which is only one of 200 ever printed, misspelled Edinburgh author J.K Rowling's name and printed it instead as "J. A Rowling". The copy was purchased for just £1 by St. Kenelm’s School in the village of Minster Lovell, Oxfordshire, at a publisher's book sale in 1997.
The school kept the literary treasure in its library until 2002 when it was stored away and forgotten - only to be rediscovered by accident last year. The proof was then purchased by a local business owner named Dale Henry.
Its proceeds went towards St. Kenelm’s at the time. Now, it is set to be resold and will be available for bidding at the upcoming Historical Platinum auction event in Dallas, Texas, on July 25.
The proceeds of the current sale will be directed back into the community, aiming to help reinvigorate a small town nearby where the tourism-based economy has suffered during the UK's recent cost of living crisis.
Mr Henry said of the book: “When I first heard of the proof, I was immediately intrigued by both its unique history and its connection to the area – as well as the fact that my wife is a massive Potterhead. I hope others are similarly compelled, and I see this auction as an opportunity to reinvest in the community during a tough time.”
In 2021, a first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone fetched $471,000 at auction - the equivalent of £371,435. Five hundred copies were printed of that edition.
A separate first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone sold for over £60,000 after it was discovered in a bargain bucket in the Highlands. The book,