In 1997, the world was spellbound by the debut of Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling’s captivating tale of magic and adventure. With the release of ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ (known as ‘Sorcerer’s Stone’ in the US), readers were transported into the enchanting world of Hogwarts, igniting a phenomenon that would span seven books, eight blockbuster films, and a devoted global fanbase that endures to this day.
Sotheby’s is set to auction the original watercolor cover artwork for Rowling’s inaugural masterpiece. Crafted by British children’s book author and illustrator Thomas Taylor, the illustration captures a young Harry eagerly awaiting his journey to Hogwarts aboard the iconic Hogwarts Express.
This marks the second auction appearance for Taylor’s artwork, following its initial sale at Sotheby’s London in 2001, where it fetched an impressive $106,000 USD, four times its estimated value. Now, over two decades later, Sotheby’s anticipates the artwork to surpass its previous record, potentially setting a new benchmark for Harry Potter memorabilia.
The upcoming auction at Sotheby’s New York on June 26 is expected to see Taylor’s iconic cover art fetch a staggering $600,000 USD.
