A charming piece of Harry Potter history
Jan Maliepaard
On September 22, 2007, six-year-old Hamish from Edinburgh won a flat-signed first edition of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as the grand prize in a children’s art competition celebrating the reopening of Victoria Park in Aberfeldy, Scotland.
Flat-signed copies of Deathly Hallows are exceedingly rare, as nearly all were inscribed to recipients.
What makes this book even more extraordinary is its exceptional provenance, which is supported by both a physical letter from Hamish and an extensive collection of digital records documenting the complete history of the event’s organization.
These digital records include a letter dated May 28, 2007, from Fiona Fraser (Secretary of The Friends of Aberfeldy Parklands) to J.K. Rowling, inviting her as a guest for the park’s reopening; the minutes of the event organizers’ meeting on September 2, 2007; the official event poster; a photograph of Hamish at the event; a photograph of Hamish with his prize-winning artwork and signed book; a press release detailing the event; a thank-you letter to J.K. Rowling dated February 2, 2008; and a February 2025 app message from Fiona Fraser confirming the provenance and providing these materials.
Such a comprehensive record of a signed Harry Potter book’s origins is exceptionally rare, making this a highly desirable collector’s item.