UPDATE: It has now been revealed that Amazon.com bought this book, and will be adding pictures and reviews of each of the fairy tales soon. The permanent link will eventually redirect to http://www.amazon.com/beedlebard. The note already contains several high-quality pictures and a video reading the note from JK Rowling inside the cover, and reveals that the book is 157 handwritten pages. Amazon.com editors are now taking questions about the tales on the site's discussion boards.
Amazon has said it won't be publishing the book unless JK Rowling decides to do so, but it will be taking the book on tour to schools and libraries so children can see it themselves. (This was posted in their message boards.)
Our previous article of today's events is below:
The auction for The Tales of Beedle the Bard, JK Rowling's original, handwritten book of wizarding fairy tales, just happened at Sotheby's in London, and the lucky winner walked away with the item for the bargain price of 1,950,000 pounds, or nearly $4 million.
In a Sotheby's release, the auction house said that this is the highest price ever paid at auction for a work by JK Rowling and indeed for any children’s book - it is also the highest price ever paid at auction for any modern literary manuscript.
It was a highly contested match between six bidders; the winner was a representative of London fine art dealer Hazlitt Gooden & Fox.
J.K. Rowling said of the sale, "I am stunned and ecstatic. This will mean so much to children in desperate need of help. It means Christmas has come early for me.”
The copy was one of seven handwritten editions and the only one to be made available for sale publicly. The other six have gone to six people instrumental to Harry since his inception. The leatherbound, handwritten tome was encrusted moonstones, as would be representative of "mothers, lovers and the power of dreams." All proceeds will benefit The Children's Voice Campaign charity, instituted by J.K. Rowling, which goes to help aid children who most need an advocate in the world.
In the release, Dr. Philip Errington, Deputy Director, Sotheby’s Books and Manuscripts department said: “Sotheby’s has been thrilled to work with JK Rowling and The Children’s Voice in selling this wonderful manuscript. This is one of the most exciting pieces of children’s literature to have passed through Sotheby’s. We have to reach back 80 years to find a comparison when we sold the manuscript of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland on behalf of the original Alice.”
In addition a set of signed Comic Relief books went for 1,125 GBP, and an original drawing of the main Harry Potter characters was sold for 34,100 GBP (or three times what was expected).
Also, a Reuters video from the reception, with glimpses of Evanna Lynch and Bonnie Wright in the crowd, may be seen here.
WOW! That is some update!!! Amazon, man, I certainly didn’t see that coming!
Given Amazon’s past marketing of the HP books, and the fact that visiting the site will presumably lure in more buyers to Amazon, it makes sense. But man I am surprised!
I think this is good for HP fans because, as Amazon will be doing editorial reviews on the stories and so we will get some information on them, I think this increases the chance that Jo will decide to publish the stories in their entirety.
Part of me is excited that Amazon bought it, because now we will get more information about the book. Another part of me is disapointed. I liked the romantic notion that some rich adult out there was so in love with Potter that they were willing to spend almost $4 Million on it. Still, the most important thing is that all of this money went to charity.
When asked if Amazon would be publishing the book, the Amazon rep replied (naturally, but there’s some nice stuff here too):
“The copy of the book that Amazon purchased at today’s auction is a unique limited-edition manuscript, hand-written and hand-illustrated by the author. At this point, J.K. Rowling has not published these stories for distribution. Of course, if and when they are published, we’d certainly hope to be able to offer them to our customers. However, we will have editorial reviews of the 5 stories available on the web site, along with a discussion board.
We also plan on taking the book on tour to libraries and schools so that kids can get a look at the magic in the Bard’s own handwriting.”
The CEO of Amazon (“whatzhizname??”) has long recognized the good business sense of marketing the HP books at a discount, with first day delivery, etc. And, my guess is he might be a closet fan as well (or at least have kids that are!). Nice touch putting the book on tour…. both a nice gesture, and (somewhat cynical sounding but…) good pre-publication publicity too.
Yep, I agree roonwit, this should increase the chances of reading them ourselves
Honestly, it’s great that this money is being donated to charity, but it went to a company? There could have been one person out there who really deserved it. Of course, I hope we get to see these stories someday, but until then, thank you Amazon for being so generous.
Wow, Amazon. I wonder what motivated them to buy it. The above suggestions about publicity and website visits make sense, I suppose. My first thought was that they wanted to digitize it and make it available in electronic form, because that’s what Amazon seems to be excited about recently. But I don’t suppose that would be legal without JKR’s express permission. As it is, I hope they don’t get into legal trouble for publicizing too many photographs. (Not that I know anything about that sort of law.)
budb, what’s the source for the quotation you gave? Or is it from your own personal correspondence?
Amazon! That’s awesome!!! And they’re going to take it on tour! Even better (perhaps) then having my own massproduced copy, is to see the original in “the bards own handwriting”. amazing.
Arthimancer, if you go to the amazon site, http://www.amazon.com/beedlebard , view the images posted and scroll down the bottom, the very first question was “will Amazon be publishing?”—its the official response there
I am grateful to hear that Amazon won the auction and is willing to be this open about the book. We couldn’t have asked for a better party to obtain this!
I do admire Amazon’s efforts with regard to reading, whether it be introducing the Kindle or this. They do deserve to be congratulated for all the work they are doing on behalf of literature.
"Time to split up the dream team, I think," he sneered. "Weasley, you can partner Finnigan. Potter --"[br]Harry moved automatically toward Hermione.[br]"I don't think so," said Snape, smiling coldly. "Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of
we should all have such problems, Glenn. ;-| Good one!
Duffy, don’t forget Hogwarts, A History!