The original watercolor painting used as the cover art for the first “Harry Potter” book broke a franchise memorabilia record at a Sotheby’s auction in New York on Wednesday, selling for an impressive $1.9 million. This sale price was nearly four times higher than the previous record holder for Harry Potter memorabilia.
Previously, the most expensive Harry Potter item sold was an unsigned first edition of the first book, which went for $421,000 in Dallas three years ago. The recent sale of the artwork represents a 351% increase from that price.
Thomas Taylor, the artist behind this iconic cover, was working in a children’s bookstore when he received his first professional commission from Bloomsbury Publishing. He was one of the first to read the original manuscript and, within two days, created the watercolor painting of a young wizard with a lightning bolt-shaped scar standing in front of the Hogwarts Express train. This cover art was used by most international publishers, though not for the American edition.
In other Harry Potter news, an upcoming television adaptation of the series from HBO has secured a showrunner and director. Mark Mylod, known for directing episodes of “Game of Thrones,” “Succession,” and the film “The Menu,” will executive produce and direct several episodes. Francesca Gardiner, a producer for “Succession” and “His Dark Materials,” will serve as showrunner and executive producer. The series aims to be a faithful adaptation of the books, with each of the seven novels turned into a season over the next decade. It is expected to premiere in 2026.
This remarkable sale joins the ranks of other art pieces that have broken auction records. For instance, Leonardo da Vinci’s “Salvator Mundi” fetched a staggering $450.3 million at Christie’s in 2017, making it the most expensive painting ever sold. Similarly, Pablo Picasso’s “Les Femmes d’Alger (Version O)” sold for $179.4 million at a Christie’s auction in 2015, setting a record for the highest price paid for a painting at the time. These sales highlight the extraordinary value and enduring appeal of iconic artworks in the global auction market.
