Got $62,000 -- minimum -- burning a hole in your pocket? Looking for an incredibly thoughtful gift for the Harry Potter fan in your life? Well, buddy Roland Deschain sent me word of an item going on auction next month. Rather exclusive, to put it mildly.
J.K. Rowling has taken the idea of the book of fairy tales mentioned in The Deathly Hallows book and actually written it, but only for the purpose of creating seven copies. Only one is being released in any public manner, it seems, and that's at this auction next month, where the opening bid works out to $62,000 in U.S. currency.
She's tried taking her share of $30 per book from millions of readers. Now, just to be different, she's planning to take a whole heap of money from just one reader. (Well, not "taking," exactly. She's giving it to charity. My point is, it's a whole different revenue model.)
Brilliant.
6 comments:
I think the chances of that book never being published are zee and ro. I'll wait for the cheaper copy, thanks.
what an "artsy" thing to do. I like it. a lot. throwing out all notion of conventional thinking. especially when her writing is aimed at younger readers. who obviously don't have that kind of allowance money.
sure there might be transcribed pdf files of the text, but to actually own one of those books... wow. I hope she sticks to the seven copies and doesn't cave into the temptation to mass-print it.
the mole
George Lucas much?
Interesting, but it doesn't strike me as something that's incredibly new. Unusual, yes. Never done/thought/conceived of before, no way.
"Writing between the lines," as it were, is something Tolkien (and his descendants) have been doing for decades.
As for producing very rare copies of actual "things": didn't Garfield do that with a bunch of MTG cards, among other people?
Now doing it with a little something like that is quite fun. Had she written an 8th book and only sold ONE copy would have been downright cruel (even though it would no doubt have amassed more money).
And I'm saying this as a totally objective observer: I'm no fan at all. But I would feel the pain and the cruelty right along with all of those who are.
FKL
phew...good thing the internet is here and there are pirates in teh world.
I've heard of vanity printings like this before, but never THIS small. Ray Garton wrote a book that was sold only via pre-order - so there were only as many copies printed as were ordered.
Stephen King had a story that you could only get by coming to a party he had (invite only) which were all signed and numbered.
I collect Roycrofters books and the only one I've heard of that was more rare is a book called "The Bibliomaniac" from 1906. It's signed, numbered and marked "Of this book only two were printed, this being number one."
Makes it a pain for us un-rich collectors, but neat to hunt for. Cause ya never know whose mom through out a box of stuff to Goodwill and didn't know what was in it. :P
And I thought my Stephen King book marked one out of 300 was expensive!!!
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