A watercolor illustration for the cover of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (1997), the debut book in the wildly successful series, sold at Sotheby’s on Wednesday for $1.9 million USD, significantly surpassing its $600,000 USD high estimate. This sale marks it as the most expensive Potter-related item ever auctioned as reported by Artnet.
This same piece by Thomas Taylor previously sold at Sotheby’s London in 2001 for £85,750 (about $108,000 USD today), far exceeding its £25,000 GBP (approximately $31,000 USD) estimate and setting a record for Potter-related materials at the time. In the 23 years since, its value has increased eighteen-fold. Before this sale, the highest price for any Potter-related item was $421,000 USD, achieved by an unsigned first edition of Philosopher’s Stone at Heritage Auctions in Dallas in 2021.
Taylor’s drawing depicts Harry Potter in his iconic striped scarf, sporting the lightning bolt scar, standing at platform 9¾ as the Hogwarts Express arrives, releasing purple smoke. The illustration was part of the collection of oral surgeon Rodney P. Swantko, who passed away in 2022.
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