A watercolor illustration used for the cover of the first Harry Potter book has fetched £1.5 million at a Sotheby’s auction in New York, marking it as the most valuable Harry Potter item ever sold at auction.
The auction saw intense bidding over nearly 10 minutes, with four bidders vying for the artwork before an unnamed buyer secured the winning bid.
Originally commissioned when artist Thomas Taylor was just 23 years old by Barry Cunningham at Bloomsbury, the artwork was completed in a swift two-day period. Taylor employed concentrated watercolors and outlined the illustration with a black Karisma pencil. The now-iconic image depicts Harry Potter alongside his distinctive lightning bolt scar, set against the backdrop of the Hogwarts Express.
While the artwork had an estimated value of $400,000-$600,000 (£320,420-£480,630), its final sale price significantly exceeded expectations.
Thomas Taylor, who later authored the children’s series Erie-On-Sea, was among the first individuals to review J.K. Rowling’s manuscript for The Philosopher’s Stone.
This sale surpasses the previous record set by a first edition of the same book, which sold for $421,000 (£327,000) at a Dallas auction in 2021. Additionally, in 2023, a well-worn first edition of The Philosopher’s Stone, formerly a library book purchased for 30p, fetched over £10,000 at auction.
The sale of this historic artwork underscores the enduring popularity and cultural significance of the Harry Potter series, captivating audiences worldwide for decades.
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