A first edition hardback copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is expected to fetch up to £150,000 when it goes under the hammer at a memorabilia auction in November. The book will be sold alongside a wand used by star Daniel Radcliffe.
The "Hero Wand" was used by the boy wizard in the 2001 film and is expected to go for up to £30,000. The lots are part of a larger auction organised by film and TV memorabilia company Propstore.
More than 1,500 lots are expected to go under the hammer when the auction gets underway at Bafta 195 Picadilly, in central London, on November 3-6. The total estimated value is in excess of £11 million.
Among the most highly valued items include actor Christopher Reeve’s complete costume from the Superman franchise (from 1978-1987), which is estimated at between £250,000 and £500,000. Dave Prowse’s screen-matched Darth Vader gloves from the 1977 sci-fi classic Star Wars: A New Hope are estimated between £150,000 and £250,000.
Film fans would also have the opportunity to take home the full-sized light-up sleigh used by Jim Carrey in How The Grinch Stole Christmas. While James Bond fans could drive away with the legal title for ownership and use of the UK licence plate "J 8OND".
Other props from the James Bond, Marvel and DC franchises and the Doctor Who series will also be available. They will go up alongside items from other classic films including The Shawshank Redemption and Gladiator.
Stephen Lane, Propstore chief executive, said: “Following our Los Angeles Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction in June, which saw some of our best ever auction results, we’re thrilled to be back again with another incredible sale. Featuring a collection over 1,500 lots, we have an amazing array of content, ranging from Fraggle Rock to Friday The 13th – there really is something for everyone.”
A similar first-edition copy of the first Harry Potter book, in near-mint condition, fetched $471,000 (£358,000) from a $70,000 estimate at Heritage Auctions in Dallas, Texas, in the US, in December 2021. In the UK, a near-perfect copy sold for £69,000 and a damaged copy fetched £15,500 at an online sale run by Hansons Auctioneers in March 2022.
