Buy the chair J.K. Rowling sat on to write 'Harry Potter'
A lucky bidder will soon get to take a seat on a piece of literary history as J.K. Rowling's hand-painted "Harry Potter" chair goes up for auction.
If inanimate objects can be imbued with mojo, then the chair author J.K. Rowling sat in while writing the early "Harry Potter" stories must be filled to the brim with magical creative powers.
The chair will soon be going to a new home. It's part of the Rare Books Signature Auction from Heritage Auctions on April 6 in New York City. The auction is open to international bidders by phone or email. Proxy bidders can place offers in advance to compete against live bidders.
The chair was originally one of a set of four mismatched dining chairs. A note written by Rowling accompanies the chair and describes it as "the comfiest one," which is how it ended up in front of her typewriter as she wrote the first two "Harry Potter" books.
"My nostalgic side is quite sad to see it go, but my back isn't," Rowling writes.
The chair is decorated with Rowling's signature and various messages from the author. The slats on the back read "You may not find me pretty, but don't judge on what you see." Harry Potter's name is painted across the front between two lightning bolts.
Heritage Auctions traces the chair's history through two other sales. It last sold at a charity auction in 2009 for about $29,000 (£19,500). The upcoming bidding is expected to exceed that amount.
The oak chair survived the first two "Harry Potter" adventures with just minor wear from age and use. There is a chip on one front leg and the auction description notes there are "joints separating." If you buy it, you might not want to sit in it until you cast a mending charm (Reparo!).
(Via Luxury Launches)