Harry Potter Artwork Sells for Record $1.9 Million

Thomas Taylor's original watercolor illustration for the cover of 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' has set a new record, selling for $1.9 million at Sotheby's auction in New York, the highest price ever for a Harry Potter item. The illustration, which features Harry Potter at Platform 9¾, was initially estimated to fetch between $400,000 and $600,000. This sale surpasses the previous record held by a first edition copy of the book, which sold for $421,000 in 2021. Taylor, who was 23 years old and fresh out of art school when he created the artwork, completed it in just two days. This iconic depiction has become synonymous with the Harry Potter series, illustrating the beginning of Harry's journey into the magical world.