Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban
First UK Edition, First Printing, Second State, Hardback, J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury 1999
Offered here is a first UK edition, first printing, second state of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, one of the most important and desirable titles in the series for collectors.
While three states of the first printing were originally proposed, the so-called third state is now widely accepted as the first Australian edition. This copy represents the true second state of the UK first printing, featuring J.K. Rowling listed on the copyright page and the complete number line: 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1, confirming its status as a genuine first edition.
The book is in fine condition with just some minor bumping to the head and tail of the spine. It is clearly unread, with square boards and a tight binding. The pages edges are bright, with very little toning and just some minor foxing to the top edge. Internally the book has no unwanted marks, no ownership inscriptions and no dog eared pages. The dust jacket is in fine condition with no fading and is protected in a removable Brodart archival jacket protector. The book comes in a custom made dark green clamshell box with purple inner trays and gold gilt lettering to the spine.
First UK editions from the initial Bloomsbury print run are particularly scarce, especially in superior condition, owing to modest original production numbers and heavy early readership. It is believed that approximately 5,150 copies of the first printing according to figures produced by the publisher Bloomsbury, with approximately 2650 copies designated to the second state. As a result, fine condition examples have become increasingly difficult to source. As a cornerstone of modern children’s literature and one of the most actively collected works of contemporary fiction, this edition continues to command sustained interest from collectors.
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by Leanne O'Leary