Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – Ultra-rare (1/1) inscribed first Ted Smart edition, first printing

An extraordinary first edition, first printing of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, inscribed by J.K. Rowling on the half-title page:

“to Jasmine, who has a magic dad! with lots of love, J.K. Rowling” with a small cross beneath the signature, symbolising a kiss.

This is not a Bloomsbury printing but an ultra-rare Ted Smart / The Book People edition, made all the more remarkable by Rowling’s use of a purple gel pen — a feature not previously documented in any signed Harry Potter edition ever offered on the market.

According to Adam Houston, the world’s leading expert on J.K. Rowling’s signature and founder of The Harry Potter Specialist, this is the only known Ted Smart edition of any Harry Potter title to bear a verifiably authentic Rowling inscription.

The book surfaced when it was purchased by a London solicitor from a second-hand bookshop; prior provenance remains unknown. Its unexpected appearance, combined with its unique inscription and unusual ink colour, makes this copy a striking anomaly among all previously known examples of Rowling’s signed work.

Very good, with notable signs of handling. A few green stains are visible on the outer edges and margins of several pages—likely caused by copper residue transferred from a thumb while leafing through the book. A partial green thumbprint appears on the edge of page 220. A pale, irregular mark is visible along the gutter of the title page and mirrored on its verso and on two blank pages preceding the rear endpaper; this is believed to result from the same copper-based substance, which inhibited normal paper toning in these areas.

There is light wear to the spine ends and upper edge of the cover, and mild bumping to the corners. The binding remains firm, the pages are clean and unmarked, and the endpapers are fresh. Housed in a near-fine dust jacket showing minimal wear.

Accompanied by a Letter of Authenticity (LOA) from Adam Houston (The Harry Potter Specialist), the world’s only recognised expert on J.K. Rowling’s signature, as well as a collector’s information card containing additional details.

Notes:
The Book People, founded by Ted Smart in 1988, specialised in bulk-distribution and discounted book club editions. Their rights extended to the Harry Potter series up to and including Goblet of Fire, published about six months after Bloomsbury’s UK edition. Apart from publisher imprints, Ted Smart editions are virtually identical to Bloomsbury’s — yet they were sold through catalogues, schools, and corporate promotions rather than bookshops or signings. This explains why, despite the thousands of signed Bloomsbury copies known today, only two signed Ted Smart books — and no other inscribed copies — have ever been recorded.

A mass-market edition elevated to true collector status by a unique, personal, and authenticated inscription from J.K. Rowling — a singular piece of Harry Potter publishing history.