An exceptionally rare signed first American edition, first printing of The Tales of Beedle the Bard — one of only eight known copies of the American edition signed by J.K. Rowling in connection with the book's launch.
This near fine copy is boldly signed by J.K. Rowling on the half-title page and bears the official J.K. Rowling hologram authentication label.
The Tales of Beedle the Bard was published simultaneously in the United Kingdom and the United States on 4 December 2008. To mark its publication, Rowling hosted a special tea party and reading at the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh. Around 250 children from ten Scottish schools attended, together with five children from the United States who had been selected through a Scholastic competition.
These five American children received copies of the First American Edition and had the opportunity to have them personally signed by Rowling. According to the accompanying provenance documentation, only eight copies of the First American Edition are known to have been signed in connection with the launch, making them considerably scarcer than their British counterparts.
The remaining three known signed American copies were retained following the 2008 event. In 2015, they resurfaced when they were offered as exclusive rewards in the Lumos Help Kids with Disabilities crowdfunding campaign. The campaign raised more than $57,000 in support of Lumos's work helping vulnerable children. This provides an unusually well-documented history for this tiny group of signed American first editions.
This particular copy was acquired directly from an attendee of the National Library of Scotland launch event, giving it excellent provenance linking it directly to the occasion at which it was signed.
Original pictorial boards in brown, with cover artwork by Mary GrandPré and interior illustrations by J.K. Rowling. Stated “First American Edition, December 2008”, with the complete number line ending in “1” on the copyright page and the original $12.99 price printed on the rear board.
The book is in near fine condition, with slightly pushed corners and minor bruising to the front edge of the upper board. The pages and edges remain exceptionally fresh and clean, and the book appears unread. Rowling's signature is bold and clear on the half-title page, with the official hologram affixed in the upper left corner.
Fully authenticated by J.K. Rowling signature expert Adam Houston of The Harry Potter Specialist. Accompanied by a Letter of Authenticity and collector's card, and housed in a custom-made half-leather clamshell box.
An exceptional opportunity to acquire one of the rarest signed editions of The Tales of Beedle the Bard: one of only eight known signed copies of the First American Edition, with direct provenance to the book's 2008 Edinburgh launch.
