Rowling, J.K. | Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - one of only 500 copies of the first hardback issue

Rowling, J.K.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. London: Bloomsbury, 1997

8vo. First edition, with "10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1" on publisher's imprint page and "1 wand" repeated on p. 53; minor browning as usual, slight separation of text block between pages 222-223. Original pictorial boards; very minor rubbing to corners, head and tail of spine very slightly bumped.

One of 500 copies of the first hardback issue of the first edition of the first Harry Potter book

“Harry—you're a great wizard, you know."

In June 1997, Bloomsbury published Philosopher's Stone with an initial print-run of 500 copies in hardback. Three hundred of these were distributed to libraries. The limited print run was standard for a first novel, and publisher Barry Cunningham hoped that booksellers would read the book and recommend it to customers. Any copy of the first edition is relatively scarce, with hardback copies lacking library markers—as is the case with the present lot—even scarcer.  

REFERENCE

Errington, Rowling A1(a)