Literature - 43 - Bauman Rare Books “P.S. I Always Wanted A Hero With Glasses…”: First Edition Of Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, Inscribed In The Year Of Publication By J.K. Rowling, With Laid-In Bookmark Also Inscribed By Rowling 39. ROWLING, J.K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. London, 1998. Octavo, original pictorial paper boards, supplied dust jacket, custom chemise and clamshell box. $18,500. First edition, first printing, of the second book in the phenomenally successful Harry Potter series, inscribed in the year of publication: “To Ewan, hope you like this as much! J.K. Rowling. P.S. I always wanted a hero with glasses & yours are particularly cool,” with a laid-in promotional bookmark additionally inscribed: “To Ewan of the v. cool glasses J.K. Rowling.” “A marriage of good writing, inventiveness and sheer child appeal that has not been seen since Roald Dahl, perhaps even since Tolkien, Lewis and Ransome,” Rowling’s extraordinarily popular series has become a classic praised by children, teachers and parents (The Times). When this, Rowling’s second book, first saw print in 1998, “Bloomsbury was a little less cautious” than they had beenwhen they published Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone the previous year, “but the first printing was still miniscule, considering the demand. Estimates range between 1000 and 2000 copies… They have been notably scarce” (Smiley, 52). Due to Rowling’s decreasing number of personal appearances as the series continued, signed and inscribed copies of the Potter books are rare and desirable. First edition, first issue, with full number line, without “First Edition” on copyright page. The first edition dust jacket was supplied from another copy. A couple small spots of soiling to interior, spine leaning slightly; very minor wear to dust jacket spine ends. A beautiful copy, most rare and desirable with such a wonderful inscription.
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