Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, by J. K. Rowling. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, [1997]. First edition, fourth impression [with number-line on the copyright page: 10 9 8 7 6 5 4] hardback with its original, unclipped dust wrapper in the very rare variant that misses its price on the front flap. Octavo (205 x 135 x 20 mm.). Pp. 223.

The first and second hardback printings of this book were issued without a dust jacket, the third printing was historically significant as it was the first printing which included a dust jacket. This is the scarce fourth printing in hardback.

Condition

Publisher's original pictorial covers which are lightly worn, with a few small scratches to rear cover which can mainly be felt, rather than seen. The spine tips are somewhat crushed and the corners, particularly the lower front and rear ones, are significantly bumped. The spine is slightly cocked, as shown in picture #6, and edges are lightly tanned with only a handful of small foxing spots. The binding is tight and secure, and pages are clean and free of inscriptions, with only a small, 1/2 inch closed tear to bottom of page 61, and the odd thumb mark and small, innocuous mark throughout (worse can be seen on page 142, our last photo). There are also some small, shallow ear marks between pages 119 and 144 that have been straightened, but still show a very light indentation. The book has no previous ownership markings.

It presents very well in a very good, unclipped dust wrapper in the very rare variant that misses its price on the front flap. With bright panels and the very lightest touch of fading to spine. There is a larger stain to the inside of the dust wrapper that does not show on the rear panel (unless in the best of lights). There is a little visible creasing and peeling to extremities, as pictured, however with no loss and no tears. The dust jacket has now been placed in a removable, protective sleeve of archival quality, and the archival backing of the wrapper covers the inside of the dust jacket, so the stain no longer shows.

A very good+ book in like dust wrapper.