Hogwarts letter could be magic buy
An unopened Hogwarts acceptance letter used in the filming of the first Harry Potter film is just one of a series of rare pieces of memorabilia going on sale at Surrey auction house Ewbank’s dedicated entertainment auction on July 15.
The Entertainment & Memorabilia, Vintage Posters & Harry Potter sale is expected to see huge interest from fans all over the UK and internationally by the team at Ewbank’s, with memorabilia from globally popular franchises including Harry Potter, Star Wars and The Beatles, plus hundreds of vintage entertainment posters, going under the hammer.
The Hogwarts acceptance letter on sale was used in the filming of the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, directed by Chris Columbus in 2001, and has been valued between £8,000 and £12,000. The envelope is made from marble-effect paper, with Harry’s address printed in green on the front and the Hogwarts crest on the reverse.
The hero envelope features a red wax Hogwarts seal, unlike the many entirely printed versions that were also used in the scene, which saw the Dursley household inundated with similar letters. The envelope remains sealed with a letter contained within. The envelope is accompanied by a printed letter of donation from Warner Bros., a copy of the letter contained within and a photocopied front cover of a 2001 edition of USA Weekend featuring Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe opening a similar letter.
Another lot sure to intrigue Potter fans is an original copy of The Quibbler magazine, produced for 2010 film, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part One. It has been valued between £800 and £1,200. It features a picture of Potter on the cover as Undesirable No. 1, with advertising copy on the back. This specific issue of The Quibbler, published by Luna Lovegood’s father Xenophiloius Lovegood in the films, were printed for the penultimate movie, but they do not appear in the final cut.
Star Wars is one of the most perennially popular entertainment franchises in history, and the team at Ewbank’s is expecting fans to snap up the chance to get their hands on a piece of its history. An original VFX Rey lightsaber, from 2017 film Star Wars: The Last Jedi, made of cast resin and expertly finished in silver with a weathered look, measuring 21 cm long, has been valued between £4,000 and £6,000.
An original hero prop casino chip and two background chips from Rian Johnson’s 2017 Star Wars: The Last Jedi, are on sale with a guide price of between £400 and £600. Casino chips like these are seen in the Canto Bight casino scenes. The hero chip is metal and plated in a gold paint and measures 6cm; the two background plastic coins measure 6cm and 5cm.
Other lots of note include a The Beatles: Our First Four, a 1968 Apple promo presentation pack celebrating the iconic band’s first four single release on the label. It has been valued between £1,000 and £1,500.
A signed silkscreen print of John Lennon by Rolling Stones guitarist and accomplished artist Ronnie Wood is on sale with an estimate of between £400 and £600.
Budding astronauts will love a framed display signed by six pilots from the NASA Apollo Missions, valued between £500 and £800. Pilot signatories include including Michael Collins (Apollo 11), Dick Gordon (Apollo 12), Stuart Roosa (Apollo 14), Al Worden (Apollo 15), Ken Mattingly (Apollo 16) and Ron Evans (Apollo 17). It is framed and mounted with badges, measuring 98cm by 128cm.