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Sought-after first edition, first printing of the first Harry Potter book: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling. First edition, first printing. London: Bloomsbury, 1997. Pictorial hardcover, 5.25 x 8, 223 pages. The book corresponds with all first printing points of issue, with the copyright page containing a "1" in the number line, author's full name in the copyright ("Joanne Rowling"), lack of a space between Thomas Taylor and the copyright date ("Taylor1997"), duplication of "1 wand" on page 53, Bloomsbury logo on title page, and "Philospher's" misprint on the rear cover. Book condition: NF/None, with a minuscule nick to the top edge of the front board.
This is a remarkable example of the first book in the Harry Potter series, published without much fanfare on June 26, 1997, as J. K. Rowling's debut novel. Bloomsbury's initial print run comprised 500 hardback copies—300 of which were distributed to libraries—plus 5,150 softcover copies. Given the extremely short print run for the hardcover edition—most of which were heavily circulated—it is extremely difficult to find the first printing of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in anything approaching fine condition. This example, seemingly unread, is in an exceptionally well-preserved state.
