Fine copy of the scarce first edition, fifth UK Bloomsbury printing of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, with a number line of 10 9 8 7 6 5. According to Errington [p.4], the fifth printing had a publication figure of only 500 hardback copies. The copyright page credits Joanne Rowling with no space between Thomas Taylor and the year. This early printing features the original illustration of the brown-haired young wizard on the reverse and spine, which was later replaced by an image of Dumbledore. It does not yet have the Hogwarts shield on the title pages, which was used in all subsequent printings.
Exceptional fine pictorial boards with sharp spine ends and corners. The binding is very tight, and the endpapers are clean with no marks, inscriptions, or stamps. Pages are clean and bright without the usual browning to the edges. The book is undoubtedly unread. The book and dust jacket have a barely visible, round-shaped impression at the bottom of the spine, likely from the production process.The first edition unclipped dust jacket is in a near fine condition with hardly any of the usual fading of the spine and without shelfwear or edgewear.There is a brown spot on the inside of the jacket, not visible from the outside. The jacket is now protected by a Brodart removable archival book cover.
