Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone. London: Bloomsbury, 1999. First Edition, First Printing of the Deluxe Collectors’ Edition. Publisher’s red cloth boards with title and author’s facsimile signature blocked in gilt to upper board. A fine bright copy. Housed in collector’s solander box.

Official Bloomsbury Bookplate, SIGNED by J.K. Rowling to front free endpaper.

The first book in the Harry Potter series was published on 26 June 1997 in a small edition of 500 copies. The first in the deluxe series was published in 1999. Bloomsbury Archives record that 4869 copies of the deluxe ‘Philosopher’s Stone’ were printed. A relatively small run when compared to the 46,500 copies of the deluxe ‘Deathly Hallows’ issued in 2007, the last in the series.

Since the release of the first novel, the Harry Potter books have found immense popularity, critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide.