Illustration courtesy of Sotheby’s
Children’s book author and illustrator Thomas Taylor, at the age of 23, created the original cover art for J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, as noted by Sotheby’s catalogue description. This iconic illustration for the first edition of the 1997 novel recently sold for an astonishing sum, while Taylor was only paid a mere $650 when he did the commission.
Initially estimated to fetch up to $600K, the highest presale value ever placed on a Harry Potter-related item, the final bid was a thrilling surprise. After nearly 10 minutes of spirited four-way bidding, the artwork sold for more than three times the anticipated amount, leaving everyone in the room in awe of the unexpected turn of events.
The cover art features the character Harry Potter, easily recognizable by his dark hair, round glasses, and lightning bolt scar. He stands poised to board the Hogwarts Express for his first journey to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The artwork was used for various translated editions except for the U.S. version, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. This captivating watercolor illustration captured several collectors’ attention. It is signed and dated (‘Thomas Taylor 1997’) on the back and captioned and signed on the accompanying cover sheet. The piece shows faint color variations and tape remnants at the edges, which do not affect the image, adding to its character and history. The work previously auctioned in London in 2001, and sold for £85,750, about four times its then estimated price.
The prior record for a Harry Potter-related item was held by an unsigned first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, which sold for $421,000 in 2021. At the time of the book’s release, Taylor worked in a bookshop, where his colleagues proudly informed customers that their local bookseller had illustrated the popular novel. In a dramatic conclusion, the illustration with an estimate of $400-600K, ultimately sold for a record-breaking $1.6M ($1.9M w/p).