ROWLING (J.K.) Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, FIRST EDITION, FIRST IMPRESSION, INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR 'to Bryony - who is the most important person I've ever met in a signing queue & the first person ever to see merit in Harry Potter. With huge [underlined 4 times] thanks. J.K. Rowling' on the dedication leaf, publisher's imprint page with the number sequence from 10 to 1, and author cited as 'Joanne Rowling', p.53 with the duplication of '1 wand' on the equipment list, misspelling 'Philospher's' on lower cover, publisher's pictorial boards, spine and corners slightly bumped, 8vo, Bloomsbury, 1997 Footnotes: IMPORTANT FIRST EDITION OF THE FIRST HARRY POTTER NOVEL, WITH A REMARKABLE INSCRIPTION BY THE AUTHOR TO 'THE FIRST PERSON EVER TO SEE MERIT IN HARRY POTTER'. In 1995 J.K. Rowling, unknown and unpublished, 'walked into a library in Edinburgh and looked up a list of literary agents. She alighted on the name Christopher Little, and, deciding that he sounded like a character from a children's book, she sent him her own manuscript, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' (Sunday Telegraph, 15 June 2003). In fact she sent just the opening three chapters, and on arrival at Little's small office the book was destined for the slush pile and rejection, as Little's agency had not previously handled children's literature. But office manager Bryony Evens, intrigued by the distinctive black folder in which the manuscript was enclosed, picked it from the pile, read it, was instantly smitten and suggested to Little they request that Rowling send the whole manuscript. She did, and from that moment the Harry Potter phenomenon was launched. The book, after having been rejected by twelve publishers, was sold to Bloomsbury for £2,500 in 1996, and in 1997 was published in an edition of five hundred hardback copies, going onto be the most successful book and subsequent franchise, in publishing history. Evens had left the agency prior to publication of the book, but received a copy on publication. In 1998 she attended a reading by Rowling to promote her second book at the Cheltenham Literary Festival. She joined the short queue to have her copy of Philosopher's Stone signed. Whilst the two had corresponded previously they had never met, and on hearing to whom the book should be inscribed, Rowling stood to give her a hug of gratitude, signing her copy to 'the most important person I've ever met in a signing queue, and the first person ever to see merit in Harry Potter'. Provenance: Bryony Evens. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: • • Zero rated for VAT, no VAT will be added to the Hammer Price or the Buyer's Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com