J.K. Rowling's 'Potter' first edition raises $228,000 for charity
The first-edition copy of 鈥�Harry Potter and the Philosopher鈥檚 Stone鈥� (better known as 鈥淗arry Potter and the Sorcerer鈥檚 Stone鈥� to US fans) by J.K. Rowling, with annotations by the author, sold for $228,000 yesterday at 厂辞迟丑别产测鈥檚 in London.
The book was being sold along with other first-edition books which had been annotated by their authors to benefit English PEN, an organization which supports writers whose ability to write freely is being threatened.
The first edition of 鈥淗arry Potter and the Philosopher鈥檚 Stone鈥� was bought by a bidder who remained anonymous and sent his or her bid over the phone, according to . In British currency, the book sold for 150,000 pounds.
The funds from the books sold came to 440,000 pounds, or more than $660,000. One of the other notable items up for sale, a copy of 鈥淢atilda鈥� by Roald Dahl that included new drawings by original illustrator Quentin Blake, sold for 30,000 pounds.
鈥淭his is a triumphant conclusion to a wonderful project, which has involved the hard work and good will of so many people,鈥� Rick Gekoski, the curator of the collection and an English PEN trustee, told the . 鈥淚 am sure that the buyers of the individual books will be thrilled with their purchases."
