In The News
Sotheby's to Display Copy of "Beedle the Bard" Here in US
J.K. RowlingAuction house Sotheby’s put the copy of “The Tales of Beedle the Bard” out on display today for the press. The book will then go on display to the public here in the US at Sotheby’s in New York City starting Monday, November 26 at 10am (ET) then again on Tuesday, November 27 and Wednesday November 28. Bloomberg.com reports that keen interest in obtaining this unique handwritten book by author J.K. Rowling will result in a “record 50,000 pounds ($103,000) at a Dec. 13 London charity auction J.K. Rowling’s commercial success adds value to the manuscript,’’ Sotheby’s book specialist Philip Errington said in an interview. ``It makes it more desirable.’‘
The website noted how rare it is for unpublished manuscripts by living authors to go up for auction, and it is hard to value what these pieces will sell for. They cite previous auctions of works by J.K. Rowling, including one that we at TLC were involved in for our first Get a Clue charity drive, the handwritten note card with words from “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” which sold for “28,680 pounds in 2002.” The article continues to state that the “other six copies of the fairy tale may come onto the market ``at some point, but this is the first,’’ Errington said.” JKR created seven copies of “Beedle the Bard” in all, giving these other copies to friends as a thank you gift for all the years of support during her writing of the Harry Potter series.Proceeds from this auction will benefit The Children’s Voice Charity.
You can see some photos of the book from today, here courtesy of Reuters, as well as early photos here in our galleries, with more on the auction, here.
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Ah, if only…I wonder if she’ll ever release this to the general public, with the proceeds to go to the charity. If I were the buyer of the one public copy, I’d probably want a guarantee that she doesn’t. But I’d sure love to read it…
Aw man…I’m flying into NY for a meeting next week, on THURSDAY! I won’t be able to see it! DANG IT! Think I could beg them to display it for one more day?
I don’t think it’s very fair to tease us like this (basically displaying the book for everyone and going nah nah nah nah nah you can’t have it)
I wonder what the chances of one of these being used as a prop in The Deathly Hallows movie are?
I think we’ll see Tales of Beedle the Bard available in mass paperback fairly soon, most probably similar to Quidditch through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts (whether the proceeds will go to COmic Relief UK or another charity is a question). Does anyone seriously think that JKR’s US and UK publishers (not to mention the other publishers worldwide) haven’t already burned the telephone lines to discuss with her a mass edition?
For me, the questions are simple:
1. When? I’m guessing at spring or summer 2008.
2. How long? The handwritten stories total five, for about 5500 words apparently. JKR could add more stories, so that the typeset version has more length. Or, I can imagine what would essentially be a photostatic version, showing JKR’s handwriting and any illustrations (would be nicer in a hard cover then, yes?). The cover would have printed moonstones and all that, imitating the special copies made.
But, I can also see it as a reproduction of Dumbledore’s personal copy, with a rather battered looking (printed obviously) cover, with a preface by Hermoine Granger….
We’ll get to read it eventually. And in the meantime an incredibly good cause is going to get a large chunk of change, thanks to Jo’s time and effort.
i love your insights, budb. nd i think you are right
OMG!! My parents will NEVER drive me up to NY to see the book. I was lucky they drove me up there to see jk at the Open Book Tour though… oh well.
@budb: I agree, 100%! The pictures are great. I would LOVE to see a copy, like the one you describe. With the “forward by Hermione Granger”! *)
Of course, I’m going to NY on November 29 and it’ll be on preview the three days prior. I would totally have had to drag my mom to see it. Oh well.
Looks like someone will be overstepping their lunch hour next week… LOL. I wonder if there will be a line to get in. Does anyone know if the catalog will be available during the viewing? I want one. According to the website it’s $16 in U.S., so that leads me to believe it might be offered.
bbdb: I don’t think Jo will add more stories, and they are long enough to make into a book by themselves, as I don’t think Jo will want to dilute the uniqueness of the original 7 by doing another handwritten and hand illustrated edition, but I do think the stories might be part of the encyclopedia.
Wow… that is BEAUTIFUL! Hmmm… I’m not that far from NY, maybe a roadtrip is in order? What a shame it’s not going to be on display over the holiday weekend (Thanksgiving). Then I’d really think about it.
I love the idea about a print version (of the hand-written pages) with an intro by Herms being sold to the public. How awesome! (Bloomsburry? Scholastic? are you listening???)
Oh yum!! I could devour that book in a millisecond. I’m sure it will go for more than $103,000. Only people with a fat wallet can afford it- like JK Rowling. Oh wait…
Think you are right, roonwit, about JKR not writing more stories (unless moved to do so). And that leads me to lean toward a photostatic copy of her handwritten version (i know that’s not the right word, but for some reason i can’t dredge the right one from memory). we’ll see, but i do think common sense indicates we’ll have a mass ‘proceeds to charity’ edition available soon.
When I first heard about the book I thought it looked different, with more stones. But it’s nice. What a beautiful, rare gift, and how generous, to handwrite it, for a few people. I am sure these books will be worth a lot. And they are so special because they have that “aura of authenticity” about them that printed books and photographs partially lose… So transporting…
Surely one day we’ll get to read those stories. Enough teasing of the fans! But for now, the rarity ensures that the book will fetch a lot of money, I hope, for a good cause.
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Only $103,000 in Us dollars?
I expect it to go for much more than that.