High-priced reading

[gsabc]

From The Leaky Cauldron website:

Beedle the Bard Sells for Nearly 2M Pounds
December 13, 2007, 08:58 AM

The auction for The Tales of Beedle the Bard, JK Rowling's original, handwritten book of wizarding fairy tales, just happened at Sotheby's in London, and the lucky winner walked away with the item for the bargain price of 1,950,000 pounds, or nearly $4 million.
The copy was one of seven handwritten editions and the only one to be made available for sale publicly. The other six have gone to six people instrumental to Harry since his inception. The leatherbound, handwritten tome was encrusted moonstones, as would be representative of "mothers, lovers and the power of dreams." All proceeds will benefit The Children's Voice charity, instituted by J.K. Rowling, which goes to help aid children who most need an advocate in the world. With the buyer's premium in on the item, the winner will actually pay 2,204,500 GBP.

[MarleysGh0st]

It's nice that there are people who can be so charitable...

I'm imagining Meryl Streep's character from The Devil Wears Prada deciding that she has to get this book for her twins.

"Only one copy? What are they supposed to do--share?"

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

From The Leaky Cauldron website:

Beedle the Bard Sells for Nearly 2M Pounds
December 13, 2007, 08:58 AM

The auction for The Tales of Beedle the Bard, JK Rowling's original, handwritten book of wizarding fairy tales, just happened at Sotheby's in London, and the lucky winner walked away with the item for the bargain price of 1,950,000 pounds, or nearly $4 million.
The copy was one of seven handwritten editions and the only one to be made available for sale publicly. The other six have gone to six people instrumental to Harry since his inception. The leatherbound, handwritten tome was encrusted moonstones, as would be representative of "mothers, lovers and the power of dreams." All proceeds will benefit The Children's Voice charity, instituted by J.K. Rowling, which goes to help aid children who most need an advocate in the world. With the buyer's premium in on the item, the winner will actually pay 2,204,500 GBP.

Damn! I knew I forgot something on Maddie's holiday wish list. Oh well, next year.

[gsabc]

As an aside, have they ever divulged the identities of those other six people? My guesses would include her literary agent and her primary UK and US editors.

Does the auction therefore set a value for the other books as gifts? Would it be taxable to either giver or receiver (oy!)? Hmmm.

[MarleysGh0st]

Now Amazon.com has announced that they were the winning bidder for this manuscript.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071214/en_ ... wling_dc_1

Amazon.com has posted several pictures of the book -- which it handles with white gloves -- and a review of one tale called "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot" on the Web site http://www.amazon.com/beedlebard. The company plans to post reviews of all five tales.

The article doesn't say that any publication rights came along with the manuscript, so I don't understand what they plan to do with it, aside from posting reviews and pictures of it. It sounds like a rather expense collectable for a public corporation to buy.

Do they figure that they'll get $4 million in publicity from this?

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

When J.K. Rowling runs out of money, she can easily publish a different version of the book and make a few millions.

[earendel]

When J.K. Rowling runs out of money, she can easily publish a different version of the book and make a few millions.

"When" she runs out of money? Never happen.

[gsabc]

When J.K. Rowling runs out of money, she can easily publish a different version of the book and make a few millions.

"When" she runs out of money? Never happen.

Agreed. The backstory of going from single mother on the dole to the wealthiest woman in the UK is amazing.

She could do like JM Barrie and assign the copyright to a charitable organization. That wouldn't surprise me at all.