One of only 31 copies of the purple-wrapper uncorrected proof of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the earliest proof state of the third novel in the Harry Potter series. Accompanying the proof is a Bloomsbury bookplate signed by J.K. Rowling. Unlike most surviving examples encountered today, this bookplate has never been pasted into a book and remains preserved in its original unused state, an uncommon survival.
This purple-wrapper proof represents the first state of the uncorrected proof, later followed by a revised proof issued with green wrappers and several textual adjustments. The dedication present in the published edition is not yet included in this early proof state. Roz de la Hay of Bloomsbury Head Office confirmed in an internal memo dated 14 January 1999 that only 31 purple proofs and 150 green proofs were produced, making these proofs among the rarest pre-publication states in the entire Harry Potter series.
Uncorrected proof copies were produced only for the first three books in the series, all in very small numbers. These proofs were issued by Bloomsbury several months prior to publication for review purposes. Many of these seemingly insignificant working copies were discarded at the time, which explains why they appear only rarely on the market today. They are therefore highly sought after by collectors and of considerable bibliographical interest.
An exceptionally well-preserved copy. The wrappers are clean, with only a few small white spots on the rear panel and a minute scratch (approximately 1 mm) to the upper edge of the front wrapper. Three small spots are visible on the upper edge of the text block. Otherwise a pristine, unread example in absolute fine condition.
The book is housed in a custom-made full-leather clamshell box providing both elegant presentation and long-term protection. A Letter of Authenticity from Adam Houston of The Harry Potter Specialist accompanies the book and confirms the authenticity of the signature.
