Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Original Book Cover Art Sells for $1.92 Million 0

[cstojano]

On 6/27/2024 at 9:14 AM, Dr. Balls said:

Agreed. That's going to be a keystone piece of art from this era 100 years from now. Anyone know if the Mary GrandPre pieces for the US editions are around?

No idea but to me they are stronger pieces and certainly more recognizable for me in the US. That said, I do wonder if the Tolkien effect applies here, that UK versions are just more sought after than US versions even by people in the US. 

[Bronty]

On 6/27/2024 at 1:11 PM, cstojano said:

No idea but to me they are stronger pieces and certainly more recognizable for me in the US. That said, I do wonder if the Tolkien effect applies here, that UK versions are just more sought after than US versions even by people in the US. 

I would expect so.    I don't see the US covers going for 2m.

[KirbyCollector]

On 6/27/2024 at 2:34 PM, Bronty said:

I would expect so.    I don't see the US covers going for 2m.

It's a shame we didn't get the Swedish cover artist... this is from the first book

[Bronty]

On 6/27/2024 at 2:49 PM, KirbyCollector said:

It's a shame we didn't get the Swedish cover artist... this is from the first book

special guest appearance.... Pippi Longstocking... bottom right

[artdealer]

On 6/27/2024 at 12:14 PM, Dr. Balls said:

Agreed. That's going to be a keystone piece of art from this era 100 years from now. Anyone know if the Mary GrandPre pieces for the US editions are around?

No. I believe she kept them

[Dr. Balls]

On 6/27/2024 at 11:11 AM, cstojano said:

if the Tolkien effect applies here, that UK versions are just more sought after than US versions even by people in the US. 

Yeah, I always wondered that myself - LoTR came out in both countries at nearly the same time, but the UK editions are more valued and sought after - perhaps the UK versions are smaller print runs than their USA counterparts? When I collected Harry Potter books, the first book 1st/1st UK editions were untouchable 20+ years ago, but 1st/1st USA editions were reasonable by comparison. By the 2nd book, you could get both fairly inexpensively, but still paid a premium for the UK edition.

I paid a handsome sum for my UK LoTR 1st editions (9th/10th/11th printings) while the USA ones were still behind (but not far) in value. The 1st UK editions look like mysterious tomes, the 1st USA ones look less so.

[The humble Watcher lurking]

Harry Potter is now up there as an icon with Spider-Man, Superman, and Batman. Also wouldn`t surprise me that in a few years the same crowd that grew up with Harry Potter goes big after the early Walking Dead original art.  

[cstojano]

On 6/27/2024 at 1:01 PM, Dr. Balls said:

Yeah, I always wondered that myself - LoTR came out in both countries at nearly the same time, but the UK editions are more valued and sought after - perhaps the UK versions are smaller print runs than their USA counterparts? When I collected Harry Potter books, the first book 1st/1st UK editions were untouchable 20+ years ago, but 1st/1st USA editions were reasonable by comparison. By the 2nd book, you could get both fairly inexpensively, but still paid a premium for the UK edition.

I paid a handsome sum for my UK LoTR 1st editions (9th/10th/11th printings) while the USA ones were still behind (but not far) in value. The 1st UK editions look like mysterious tomes, the 1st USA ones look less so.

I always attributed it to being a UK artist writing in what is essentially (or literally in HP's case) a UK setting. Maybe its a print run thing but I haven't seen it discussed very much. When I had a book collection I remember being peeved one of my pieces was a Houghton Mifflin, i think my History of the Hobbit slipcased set  

[delekkerste]

On 6/27/2024 at 4:42 PM, cstojano said:

I always attributed it to being a UK artist writing in what is essentially (or literally in HP's case) a UK setting. Maybe its a print run thing but I haven't seen it discussed very much. When I had a book collection I remember being peeved one of my pieces was a Houghton Mifflin, i think my History of the Hobbit slipcased set  

Country of origin premium. 

[John E.]

On 6/27/2024 at 6:53 AM, gumbydarnit said:

Would it possibly have done better at Heritage?

 

On 6/27/2024 at 7:35 AM, delekkerste said:

You never know, but, I suspect that Sotheby's found the most likely buyers (or they found Sotheby's). Maybe we'll learn more when (if) we learn who bought it. 

What auction house is better known for selling rare first edition books? Sotheby’s or Heritage? If I were the consignor I’d go with the house that attracts the rare book collectors. 

[John E.]

On 6/27/2024 at 4:31 PM, delekkerste said:

Country of origin premium. 

Yup. As someone who dips his toe into 1st editions/1st printings the collectibility is in the country that first printed it and in the original language if it’s not English, even if the U.S. edition is the one I first read and its cover art is the one I’m most familiar with. 

[PhilipB2k17]

On 6/27/2024 at 4:17 PM, The humble Watcher lurking said:

Harry Potter is now up there as an icon with Spider-Man, Superman, and Batman. Also wouldn`t surprise me that in a few years the same crowd that grew up with Harry Potter goes big after the early Walking Dead original art.  

It would surprise me, actually. They are fans of the TV show, not the comic. TV show memorabilia? Yes. Walking Dead comic pages? No.

[cstojano]

On 6/28/2024 at 5:43 AM, PhilipB2k17 said:

It would surprise me, actually. They are fans of the TV show, not the comic. TV show memorabilia? Yes. Walking Dead comic pages? No.

I don't follow closely but thought WD comic art very obviously peaked with a major collector selling out.

[Silver Surfer]

Great long term investment value here but this is a piece that I would have a tough time holding on too simply because it doesn’t really do anything for me. I’d have to store it out of sight otherwise it would be a constant reminder of all the other pieces that I could have bought and enjoyed with that kind of coin. 

[vodou]

Agree, seriously bidding and acquiring here can only be a technical move. The actual art sucks worse than Herb Trimpe's worst day in Hulk.

Or...who wants to stand up and explain how the art itself is actually good or even great?

[Bronty]

On 6/28/2024 at 11:16 AM, vodou said:

Agree, seriously bidding and acquiring here can only be a technical move. The actual art sucks worse than Herb Trimpe's worst day in Hulk.

Or...who wants to stand up and explain how the art itself is actually good or even great?

The article quotes the illustrator as saying it was literally his first paid job, ever. 

So its one day removed from being an amateur illustration.

So yeah, no one is paying more than $500 for that as an image of a boy with a train, and frankly $500 is pushing it.

Ultimately however its no different than any valuable comic cover that wasn't well illustrated.    The value is elsewhere.

IKYK.

Edited June 28 by Bronty

[Bronty]

On 6/26/2024 at 11:34 AM, delekkerste said:

 

Wonder if the owner will come forward. I think it's the perfect kind of piece for the Lucas Museum and would love to see it displayed there.  

 

agreed

[vodou]

On 6/28/2024 at 12:21 PM, Bronty said:

Ultimately however its no different than any valuable comic cover that wasn't well illustrated.    The value is elsewhere.

Um...I buy art to enjoy looking at. I'm not sure what you're buying  

Thanks for the additional information, I didn't read the article as I really don't care...plus what the image itself does to me 

[Bronty]

On 6/28/2024 at 1:43 PM, vodou said:

Um...I buy art to enjoy looking at. I'm not sure what you're buying  

Thanks for the additional information, I didn't read the article as I really don't care...plus what the image itself does to me 

a) you know exactly what I'm buying  

b) I buy all sorts of art for all sorts of reasons.   Usually enjoying the image is a big part of it but if the art illustrated something I really enjoyed I can look past not loving the image.    As an example Dark Knight 3 was never my favorite of the Dark Knight covers, but I'd still like to have it.   I'm sure we can all think of many, many examples like that.    This is really no different.   

[vodou]

On 6/28/2024 at 1:47 PM, Bronty said:

I can look past not loving the image.

Yeah...I'm not doing that, not since 2002.