First Edition Harry Potter copy selling for £90,000 has heartwarming backstory
What a beautiful inscription!
We've all heard about editions of the Harry Potter books selling for hundreds or even thousands at auctions - in October last year, a couple earned almost £60,000 for a first-edition copy of the first novel in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
Now, another first edition copy of the novel is up for auction - and this time, it's going for a whopping £90,000. But this version has something special about it, and that's a handwritten transcription by J. K. Rowling for the recipient with a pretty incredible backstory.
According to Metro.co.uk, a woman named Bryony Evens was the office manager for literary agency Christopher Little in 1996, and was the one to read Rowling's three-chapter submission and convince her boss to read the whole thing - so she's pretty pivotal to the world of Harry Potter becoming so huge!
Two years later, Bryony stood in line at an autograph signing at Cheltenham Literary Festival, and was able to meet Rowling and tell her the story - at which point, the author jumped up and gave her a hug.
She wrote a beautiful inscription for Bryony in the book, which reads, 'To Bryony – who is the most important person I have ever met in a signing queue & the first to see merit in Harry Potter. With huge thanks. JK Rowling.'
The hugely rare copy of the book is on auction this Wednesday with an estimate between £70,000 and £90,000 at Bonhams’ Fine Books, Atlases, Manuscripts & Photographs sale. Specialist Luke Batterham said, "This is a truly unique copy of a highly desirable rare first edition of the book that introduced millions of adoring fans to JK Rowling’s wizarding world.
"Bryony’s story is world famous – she even appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show – and her copy really is a little piece of Harry Potter history. You can sense Rowling’s gratitude, in this inscription, to the person who saved Harry Potter from the rejection pile."
Scroll through to see the Harry Potter child actors then and now...
Scroll through to see what the child cast of Harry Potter look like now...
Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe
The last Harry Potter film was released in 2011. Here's what the main cast of children look like all grown up!
Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Radcliffe had already starred in David Copperfield when he was cast as the most famous boy in the UK, Harry Potter.
Daniel Radcliffe
Since Harry Potter ended, Daniel has starred in a number of stage productions and films.
Rupert Grint
Rupert had only starred in school plays when he was cast as Harry Potter's best friend Ron Weasley.
Rupert Grint
Rupert has starred in a number of films including, Moonwalkers, he also appeared on screen in the A.B.C. Murders. He's now also a proud dad, welcoming his first daughter in 2020.
Tom Felton
Tom was cast as Harry's school nemesis Draco Malfoy. He had already starred in a number of commercials and the film 'The Borrowers'.
Tom Felton
Most recently Tom starred as CSI Julian Albert / Doctor Alchemy on the third series of The Flash.
Emma Watson
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in 2001 was Emma's debut screen performance.
Emma Watson
Emma has starred in a number of films and took on the role of Belle in the live action version of Disney's Beauty and the Beast.
Matthew Lewis
Matthew Lewis starred as Neville Longbottom, who ended up being one of heroes of the story.
Matthew Lewis
The term 'Longbottoming' was coined to describe people who became extremely attractive when they grew up after Matthew Lewis turned into a hunk!