First edition Harry Potter inscribed by author JK Rowling to ‘first person to see merit’ in the boy wizard by saving manuscript from the reject pile sells for more than £118,000
- Rare book was signed for Bryony Evens, an office manager at a literary agent
- She picked up a three-chapter submission of the book from a manuscript pile
- It will go under the hammer at Bonhams’ sale in London Knightsbridge this week
A first edition Harry Potter book inscribed by JK Rowling to the first person ‘to see merit’ in the boy wizard sold for over £118,000 today.
The rare copy of The Philosopher’s Stone belonged to Byrony Evans, an office manager at a London literary agents in the mid-1990s.
Byrony’s first edition – one of just 500 printed – went under the hammer with auctioneers Bonhams in London on Wednesday for £95,000. However with auction house fees added on, the total price paid by the successful, overseas bidder was £118,812.
A first edition Harry Potter book inscribed by JK Rowling (pictured in 2018) to the first person ‘to see merit’ in the boy wizard sold for over £118,000 today
The first edition of the book (pictured) went under the hammer with auctioneers Bonhams in London on Wednesday for £95,000 but with auction house fees added on the total price paid by the successful, overseas bidder was £118,812
The sum is the second highest paid for a first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, with the record standing at £127,500 for one that sold in New York in 2018.
Matthew Haley, head of books, manuscripts and photographs at Bonhams, said: ‘Without Bryony’s intervention we would not have Harry Potter now.
‘She literally saved the manuscript from ending up on the refuge pile.
‘JK Rowling went from nothing to being a multi-millionaire partly because of Bryony’s efforts.
‘Although they had corresponded a lot, JK Rowling had never met Bryony so she didn’t know what she looked like before the book signing.
‘It must have been a wonderful scene when she got up and hugged and and wrote this message.
‘This was a very significant copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and I’m not surprised that it generated so much interest, nor such a high price.’
The copy was sent to officer manager Bryony Evens, who worked at a literary agent, and signed when the pair met in 1998
The rare book, which was sent to the literary agent officer manager, contains a signature heralding her as the ‘first person to see merit’ in Harry Potter and offering ‘huge’ thanks – with the word ‘huge’ underlined four times.
Ms Evens earned the eternal gratitude of Rowling after she picked up a three-chapter submission of Harry Potter from the unsolicited manuscripts pile at literary agent Christopher Little in 1996, and started reading.
She became instantly hooked and ordered a full copy of the book from the then little known Edinburgh-based author.
After the Philosopher’s Stone was rejected by twelve publishers, it was sold to Bloomsbury for £2,500 and published the following year.
Though Ms Evens had left the agency before it was published, she received a copy of the book. In 1998, she queued up for a signature from Rowling, who was then promoting her second book Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, at the Cheltenham Literary Festival.
When she introduced herself Rowling leapt up and gave her a huge hug.
She wrote in the signed copy: ‘To Bryony – who is the most important person I have ever met in a signing queue & the first person to see merit in Harry Potter.
JK Rowling is said to be eternally grateful to Ms Evens. She is pictured in New York last year
‘With huge thanks, J K Rowling.’ The word ‘huge’ has been underlined four times.
Bonhams Fine Books and Manuscript 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.’