Harry Potter memorabilia means the world to its fans. A chance to get their hands on the Original Cover Art for the First ‘Harry Potter‘ Book comes once in a blue moon, and it’s possible for a cool $600,000. Yes, it’s an astronomical price, and when the hammer strikes, it will become the highest presale value ever placed on a Harry Potter-related item, according to auction house Sotheby’s. The original watercolor drawing by Thomas Taylor for the first installment in the blockbuster series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, a bestseller that came out in 1997, will be hitting the auction block at Sotheby’s New York.
The illustration, made nearly three decades ago, was first auctioned by Sotheby’s London in 2001. Even then, it broke a record for the franchise by fetching $107,000. In 2024, the work will be auctioned again as part of a sale titled “The Library of Dr. Rodney P. Swantko” on June 26. The collection will also include a handwritten manuscript for J.K. Rowling’s “The Tales of Beedle the Bard,” with an estimate of $250,000 to $350,000. The illustration by Thomas Taylor features a perplexed, wide-eyed Harry Potter in his Gryffindor uniform, complete with a scarf, curiously waiting to board the Hogwarts Express for his first year at the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
While the entire series is special for fans, there is no denying that Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone holds a special place in the hearts of fans who were bowled over by imagination, camaraderie, and the firsthand experience of learning that god does lie in the details. The lots will be put up for public viewing at Sotheby’s New York from June 21–25.
