Signed Potter books fetch thousands at auction

Last Updated: Friday, October 26, 2007 | 11:30 AM ET

CBC News

A handful of rare, autographed copies of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone sold at auction in London on Thursday, with a first edition of the blockbuster book netting nearly $40,000.

A first edition hardcover of J.K. Rowling's introductory instalment of the boy wizard series, bearing the signature "Joanne Rowling," fetched £19,700 pounds (about $39,000) at a Christie's auction Thursday.

The final price — paid by an anonymous bidder — was more than more twice the estimate set by the auction house.

In 1997, Rowling's British publisher, Bloomsbury, published between 500 and 1,000 copies of Philosopher's Stone in an initial print run. Many of those initial copies were purchased by libraries, leaving copies in good condition a rarity.

Several other copies of the book were also sold at Thursday's auction.

One, a paperback bearing the inscription "To Ella — I know your Mum!!! And she beat me in the quiz but we won't mention that — love from Jo (aka JK Rowling)" fetched £1,250 ($2,480), while a publisher's proof copy sold for £2,250 (about $4,460).

In the past year, rare, autographed copies of Rowling's books have made appearances at private and charity auctions.

For instance, a British charity auctioned a signed, complete set of the seven-book series on internet site eBay for £18,200 (about $36,070).

Since the publication of Philosopher's Stone, the 42-year-old Rowling has become one of the world's most successful authors. The Potter books have sold nearly 400 million copies and been translated into more than 60 languages worldwide.

With the release of the final book of the series last July, Rowling is currently on a North American reading tour, which brought her to Toronto this week.