Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

This is a first UK edition, 4th printing hardcover copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. With the earlier printings often out of reach for the average collector, this more affordable fourth printing is a great addition to anyone’s collection. According to Errington’s bibliography the hardcover 4th printing had a print run of only 500 copies, with just 2000 copies preceding it across the prior three print runs.

The book itself appears unread with a tight and square binding, but has some minor bruising to the spine tip and base. Internally there are no dog-eared pages or unwanted ownership inscriptions. Overall the book is in near fine condition in a like dust jacket with slight fading to the spine, protected in a removable Brodart cover. Additionally, there is very little toning to the page edges; they appear white and crisp, which is rare to see in these early Bloomsbury printings that were produced using a cheaper paper stock. The book comes in a custom made, red clamshell box with gold gilt lettering to the spine.

Collectors often look for early Bloomsbury printings of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, as they reflect the book’s original UK publication history and the growing popularity of J.K. Rowling’s work in the late 1990s. Fourth printings remain highly sought after because they retain the same design, text setting, and production characteristics as the earliest runs, while being far more accessible than the first, second and third printings. Copies in clean, well-preserved condition, particularly with bright page edges and minimal wear, are increasingly hard to find and continue to rise in desirability among Harry Potter collectors.

Useful references:
– Bloomsbury Publishing official Harry Potter page
– Wikipedia: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (publication history)