The original cover art for the first edition of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” sold for $1.92 million at auction on Wednesday, becoming the most expensive item related to the series, decades after its illustrator was paid a commission of just $650.
The year before the novel came out in 1997, its publisher, Bloomsbury, hired a 23-year-old from England who had just graduated from art school to design the book jacket, the auction house said.
The artist, Thomas Taylor, would go on to establish the world’s conception of Harry Potter, with his iconic round glasses and lightning bolt scar.
“It’s kind of staggering, really,” he said about the sale of his painting in an interview on Thursday.
“It’s exciting to see it fought over.”
Persons:
“ Harry Potter, ”, Harry, Rodney P, Swantko, Thomas Taylor, Harry Potter
Organizations:
Bloomsbury
Locations:
Hogwarts, King’s, New York, England