Calling all Potter-heads and fans of antiques and collectibles, a rare first edition of a book about a certain boy wizard signed by J.K. Rowling is turning heads with its five-figure sticker price at the ongoing 12-day Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), that opened in Expo Centre Sharjah on November 1.
So what is the exact book in question? A 1998 edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the second installment in the Harry Potter novel series (you know, the one with the flying car and the giant snake). And it’s being sold by Dubai-based Zerzura Rare Books.
“It is perhaps the most expensive novel for children you could find here at this festival” said Alex Warren, the owner of Zerzura Rare Books, the Dubai-based company that specialises in first editions, signed copies, maps and prints and other rare books. “There are just about five such copies available around the world possibly and I own one of them.”
But there’s so much more…
Below is a list of rare first editions added to the carefully curated list:
Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist (1983), selling for AED 1,950
Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita (1959) selling for AED 750
Agatha Christie’s Cat Among The Pigeons (1959) AED 1050
And a first copy of the 1997 Booker Prize-winning God of Small Things by Indian author Arundhati Roy, selling for AED 550.
Alex Warren established Zerzura in Dubai’s Alskeral Avenue last year with collections of legendary books like Jaws and Jurassic Park, and is excited to continue bringing these historical artifacts to Dubai.
“Of course there are books, but they’re also a piece of history because they’re limited edition by their nature,” Warren explains. “There’s a lot of people in the UAE who appreciate rare books and see the value of it.”
More than 1.5 million titles will be on offer at the 42nd edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) that will run until November 12.
And if you need more books to add to your list, click here
