An exceptionally rare Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire first edition, first printing, signed by J.K. Rowling on the half-title page in black ink. This is not a Bloomsbury printing but an ultra-rare Ted Smart / The Book People edition, one of less than a handful ever known to bear a verifiably authentic Rowling signature.
This copy was signed during an exclusive Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres charity event at City Hall, Candleriggs, Glasgow, on 9 December 2000. With only two other signed Ted Smart copies ever recorded, this example ranks among the rarest authenticated Rowling-signed editions in existence.
Very good overall. Light signs of handling; spine ends slightly bumped; a few small stains to the outer edges and margins of several pages. Corners remain sharp, binding firm, and pages clean—free from names, marks, or inscriptions. The near-fine dust jacket shows minimal wear.
Accompanied by a Letter of Authenticity (LOA) from Adam Houston of The Harry Potter Specialist, the world’s only recognised J.K. Rowling signature authority, along with a collector’s information card. Presented in a custom-made half-leather clamshell box.
Notes:
Founded by Ted Smart in 1988, The Book People specialised in discounted book club editions. Their rights extended to the Harry Potter series up to Goblet of Fire, published about six months after Bloomsbury’s UK edition. Apart from the publisher’s imprint, these editions are virtually identical to their Bloomsbury counterparts. Sold outside traditional retail channels, they were rarely available at author events—explaining the extreme scarcity of signed examples like this one.
A mass-market edition transformed into a true collector’s item through a rare, authenticated J.K. Rowling signature — an outstanding piece of Harry Potter publishing history.
