Initial sketch for the first Harry Potter book goes up for auction in New York.
Artist Taylor adorned the front page of the initial book in the Fantasy series back in 1997, at the tender age of 23. With his captivating illustration of Harry Potter, he made a name for himself, working then at a kids' bookstore in Cambridge, England. Timehop Publisher Barry Cunningham tapped Taylor for his artistic skills for J.K. Rowling's upcoming book, as per his conversation with Sotheby's. Taylor reminisced about those days, stating proudly, "It's thrilling to reflect on these enchanting origins."
In an exclusive chat with AFP news agency, book specialist Kalika Sands from Sotheby's mentioned that Taylor received one of the first manuscripts, serving as a huge inspiration for his artwork. As such, Taylor claimed to have explored the mystical realm of Harry Potter before it was common knowledge.
Back then, both Rowling and Taylor were unsung heroes in the literary world. The incredible global success of the books that came later made everyone second-guess the potential outcome of the first book's publication. Interestingly, Sotheby's revealed that only 500 copies were initially printed of the first "Harry Potter" book, with 300 rumored to have been delivered to libraries.
On the 26th of June, 1997, the world was introduced to Harry Potter through the first book's release. Since then, the seven books have made over half a billion sales around the world, and translations into over 80 languages are available. Warner Bros. produced eight films based on the novels, earning roughly 6.5 billion Euros at the global box office.
