Tales of Beedle the Bard sells for nearly $4 million U.S.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard, translated from the original runes by J.K. Rowling, an entirely handmade book, sold this morning for £1.95 million ($3,985,410 U.S.) in London. The buyer was later announced to be Seattle, Washington-based online merchant Amazon.com. The Children's Voice, a charity co-founded in 2005 by Rowling and Baroness Nicholson is to receive the proceeds.

The book is bound in Moroccan leather with hand-chased silver bosses set with moonstones; there are only 6 other copies in existence. It's 157 hand-written and illustrated pages contain 5 wizarding fairy tales: "The Fountain of Fair Fortune," "The Warlock's Hairy Heart," "The Tale of the Three Brothers," "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot," and "Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump."

Amazon does not have the rights to publish the book; however they say they will post reviews of the stories and more photographs. According to the Associated Press, Amazon spokesman Craig Berman said the company plans a tour for the book of libraries and schools.

December 16, 2007: Well, all 5 of the reviews have been posted, and they make delightful reading. I especially appreciate how the Amazon editor described things like how Jo's handwriting changed during certain parts of the stories, and how the drawings foreshadowed each tale. Bravo, Amazon! And thank you for sharing your treasure with all of us.

Amazon: pictures, reviews, a video, and a forum for questions
Associated Press report

"Beedle the Bard" announcement transcripts

Meann has completed two transcripts, one of the BBC Radio broadcast, and one of the BBC's video of Jo's announcement. Both reports were by Razia Iqbal, but were edited differently. There is a bit of new information:

• "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" consists of 5 stories set in JKR's Wizarding world, continuing the same themes in a different time period.
• Only 7 copies exist; the book will never be published.
• Jo thinks what she publishes next will be a "half-finished book for children."

Thanks Meann!

"Tales of Beedle the Bard" to be auctioned

In a surprise announcement, Jo tells us on her website that she wrote The Tales of Beedle the Bard as a thank you gift for 6 people who worked closely with her on the Harry Potter books over the years, and that she will auction the seventh copy off at Sotheby's for charity. The Sotheby's site shows screencaps and the book is chock full of Jo's drawings too! Here is Sotheby's description (it will make you drool, I promise!):

Autograph manuscript of “The Tales of Beedle the Bard ” translated from the original runes by J.K. Rowling. Individually handwritten and extensively illustrated by the author, c.160 pages written in an Italian hand-made notebook, bound in brown morocco embellished on upper cover by Edinburgh silversmiths Hamilton and Inches, with five individually hand-chased hallmarked sterling silver ornaments and mounted moonstones.

AQ staffer Jules has purchased the auction catalog so we will have more soon.

Reports in the media: BBC, CBBC, The Leaky Cauldron.

The Floo Network to raise money for Book Aid International with Deathly Hallows guide

The Floo Network (The Harry Potter Lexicon, The Leaky Cauldron and Accio Quote) has launched "HarryPotterSeven.com," a collection of essays about Book 7 (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) that we hope will raise money for Book Aid International, an organization that works to set up libraries in developing countries.

If you read the excellent "Scribbulus" essays on the Leaky Cauldron you will recognize many of the authors; Steve Vander Ark (Harry Potter Lexicon) and I also contributed sections. Steve summarized "What we know so far" -- as only he could -- and I selected statements Jo has made in interviews about Book 7, made my best guesses about what will be important, and then wrote some commentary that I hope will be helpful.

Check it out: Book | Leaky News article

P.S. The delightful artwork is by Polly Beam