As reported previously, author J.K. Rowling will be auctioning off a hand-written copy of her special "Tales of Beedle the Bard"book for charity via Sotheby's in London, England. The auction house has now added a few more items from J.K. Rowling that will be auctioned the same day, December 13, including this lovely original sketch by Jo. This pencil sketch was made originally by Jo for the for the BBC charity Children in Need in 1999. In the sketch, you can see Hagrid, Snape, Harry Ron Hermione, Professor McGonagall, along with Crookshanks, Dobby, the Sorting Hat, Fawkes, and a snitch. Estimates by Sothby's put this 10,000—15,000 GBP range.
Also due to be auctioned the same morning is an ink and watercolour drawing of "Harry Potter in Conversation with Buckbeak the Hippogriff" by artist Cliff Wright. This item by the artist who designed the jacket art to the UK Children's Editions of the Harry Potter novels, is "signed and dated in biro "Cliff Wright '02" in lower right corner, framed and glazed," with estimates of "3,000—5,000 GBP."
Finally available are autographed first edition copies of the earlier charity books written by Jo, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," and "Quidditch Through the Ages," along with a signed set of four Deluxe editions of the first four Harry Potter novels.
A reminder that Sotheby's does have a special deluxe 48 page catalogue available for the "Tales of the Beedle the Bard" book containing a message from Jo and images from the book, where proceeds from the sale will benefit The Children's Voice charity. The actual handwritten book will soon go on display in London starting Sunday, December 9 at 10:00am before the actual auction on December 13, and this viewing is open to the public.
I wouldn’t want these drawings in the book…no offense to anyone, but they are rather childish drawings compared to Mary Grandpre, who I think is a far better artist.
Pretty asuring that the characters as they are fixed on our mind by the Warner presentation, don’t differ that radical form the characters as Rowling had them in her mind.
Due to the Dutch release of DH, there was an interview with Rowling in the paper. She there said that she was very pleased with the movies, because they worked out figures more beautiful then in her mind.
Also the eyecolour discussion of Harry don’t bother her a lot.
She says:” had either the choice of coloured contacts, very cumbersom for a little boy, change the eyecolor digital or leave it as it is ( blue)
I am glad the choose the last”
My new dream, although I know it will never happen, is to own the tales of beedle the bard… my old one was to meet Jo and get my DH signed, but that already happened! :) I’ve been waiting for a new HP dream to strike!! If only was rich and had 50k to spend!!
Posted by OpenBookTourWinner on November 17, 2007, 07:08 PM
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I’ve always meant to comment on it, but Jo is really quite wonderful at drawing too.
Yeah, me too. I also LOVE the drawing JK made! Although, I’m glad Mary made them in the books … I think she’s better to tell the truth… What I’d do to get my hands on that book though, ;).
Yeah I know… I was surprised how talented she is at drawing too.
Posted by OpenBookTourWinner on November 17, 2007, 07:21 PM
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I wish I could go see the book in london at least.. too bad I live “across the pond” in the US!! sigh I want that book!! :)
Posted by OpenBookTourWinner on November 17, 2007, 07:25 PM
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OOOOHHH! She’s a realy good artist!
Oh! And look, it’s the real Harry and Ron and hermy! Look at hermy’s hair, how big it’s! Ah, damn the filmmakers!
Ah, well, this’s like a dream come true for me, I always wished she’d show us how her characters really look like, now I partially had my wish! I hope she’d do more of that, colored sketches, for them, by different age stages! Wow, I think I’m greedy, lol!
I really wish they’d have used her to illustrate the HP books, all versions, UK (adults, kids), US.. all!
Eh, maybe we can wish for a new edition of the HP books set with JK’s drawing? I’d buy them no matter how much they cost! ;-)
Wouldn’t it be nice if they produced the book en masse, but cheaper, with some turquoise and quarts on the cover… Or if they just printed them, anything. I don’t know if I’ll get Sotheby’s catalogue. It seems to have none of the stories, just pictures.
I’m not going to get all excited about this. It’s something for the rich, not the everyday fans. You can own a piece of Potter, but it’ll cost ya’. Elitism is alive and well.
Posted by Hermy-own-ninny on November 17, 2007, 10:31 PM
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Many of us posting on this topic in the past rather thought that there would be a mass release of Tales sometime, with the proceeds going to a charity like Comic Relief UK again. We’ll just need to be patient.
Given all the boxes of materials that JKR supposedly has, I’m sure we’ll all have items to add to our collections in the years ahead.
I could see Beedle the Bard being part of the charity “encyclopedia”, as it would be a rather short book otherwise (the Sotheby’s website says circa 5,500 words, which is maybe 12 pages (assuming a very rough estimate of the number of words on a UK DH page).
The Jo-drawn trio here really is the TRUE trio! You never see them depicted this way ever, despite it being true to the books. If there’s ever another HP adaptation (perhaps a huge BBC series, or HBO) I hope they go closer to the books with the characters, also in the general tone of the series. It will be many years before a TV series like this would happen though. And if it was ever attempted many parts would have to be cut or scaled down due to the limitations of TV! 6 hour-long episodes per book would be good.
Posted by performingmonkey on November 18, 2007, 02:30 AM
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I wouldn’t want these drawings in the book…no offense to anyone, but they are rather childish drawings compared to Mary Grandpre, who I think is a far better artist.