A battered old Harry Potter book that’s full of doodles and was picked up for 50p is expected to sell for up to £3,000 at auction.
Said to have been found among the dusty boxes of a charity shop in Manchester by a local businessman, the rare first edition copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was printed in 1997, is one of just 500 hardback copies from the first run, and has a child’s scribbled drawings all the way through.
The novel is to be auctioned on Wednesday at Hansons Auctioneers in Staffordshire, with a guide price of £2,000 to £3,000.
The seller of the book, who wishes to remain anonymous, said he had no idea it was original copy when he first bought it, and explained: “I just spotted the back cover with the image of the wizard and thought it looked interesting.
“It was only 50p. I found it in one of those traditional charity shops packed with boxes.
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“Around Christmas time, I decided to contact Hansons to check whether it was a first edition and they confirmed that it was – a nice surprise to say the least.”
The book is one of just 500 hardback copies from the first run / Credit: Hansons
In the same sale, Hansons is also offering a pristine copy of the same book – which currently belongs to books collector who has kept it in darkness to protect it from the light within a protective cover for 25 years – with an estimate of £40,000 to £60,000.
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A near-pristine copy also sold for more than £350,000 last December.
Speaking on the books ahead of the auction this week, Jim Spencer – books expert at Hansons Auctioneers – said: “In essence, we have two first issue hardbacks – one carefully preserved and unread, the other thoroughly enjoyed and read to death, but the question is, which one was loved the most? Or enjoyed the most?”
The battered old copy was said to have been found among dusty boxes at a charity shop in Manchester / Credit: Hansons
“Arguably, the damaged one tells its own important story,” he continued.
“I always like to imagine historians of the future gazing at something like this, the doodles and naive fan art, the evidence it was read over and over again – it would surely give them a true sense of Harry Potter fever.”
The books will be offered in the ‘Library and Harry Potter Auction’ at Hansons Auctioneers on Wednesday 9 March.
Featured Image – Hansons
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Manchester’s big wheel is returning to Exchange Square for the summer… sort of
Emily Sergeant
Manchester is set to reach new heights, as the big wheel that once stood proudly in the city centre is making a comeback this summer.
Well… sort of.
That’s because it’s not quite the same big wheel that many will remember from its glory days in locations like Piccadilly Gardens and Exchange Square throughout the 2000s, and more recently Albert Square during last year’s Manchester Christmas Markets – but it is a big wheel and it’s a big wheel that you’ll be able to hop on for a ride.
Celebrating the launch of its new Cloud Frappuccino blended drinks range, Starbucks’ Summer in the Clouds arrives in Exchange Square next Friday and Saturday (24 and 25 July), inviting people to escape the hustle and bustle and enjoy panoramic views of the city below from a big Ferris wheel.
The two-day takeover will give customers the chance to unlock a ride on the big wheel with the purchase of any Grande or Venti iced drink from participating Manchester city centre Starbucks stores.
Both in participating stores – which in Manchester are Starbucks stores in the Arndale, City Tower Offices, on Market Street and on Fennel Street – and at the Ferris wheel itself in Exchange Square, you can expect complimentary Cloud Frappuccino-inspired candy floss, live music from DJ and presenter Ethan Porte, and a free photobooth with digital and printed photos.
Alongside the big wheel ride, there’ll also be the chance for members to win exclusive Starbucks merchandise across the two days too.
A limited number of additional ferris wheel ride tokens will also be available to win via the fairground-style Plinko game on site.
The new Starbucks Cloud Frappuccino blended drinks range includes a range of bespoke creations like the Strawberry Matcha Cloud Frappuccino, the Brown Sugar Cloud Frappuccino, and the Caramel Mocha Cloud Frappuccino.
With skyline views and summer sips, Starbucks says its Summer in the Clouds is set to be one of Manchester’s must-visit experiences this month.
Starbucks’ Summer in the Clouds arrives in Exchange Square next Friday 24 and Saturday 25 July.
Featured Image – Cédric Dhaenens (via Unsplash)
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Liam Fray says ‘yes’ to Courteeners supporting Oasis on tour amid rumoured 2027 dates
Danny Jones
Liam Fray has said that the Courteeners are ready to “answer the call” if/when it comes to supporting Oasis on their next big live tour, with rumours of dates for shows in 2027 ramping up.
The fellow Manc favourites were heavily suggested as potential support acts for the Live ’25 reunion gigs, but Cast and Richard Ashcroft were ultimately selected as the warm-ups for the world tour.
With that in mind, when asked if Courteeners would be ready to open up for Oasis on their still only hypothetical tour next year, Fray had a very quick answer:
Not to speak for the Middleton musician, but it’s a bit of a no-brainer, really.
As you can see, in a recent interview with Radio X host Johnny Vaughan promoting the indie rockers’ new single, ‘Plus One Forever’, the 41-year-old frontman made it clear that he and his bandmates would bite hands off if the other Liam and/or his brother Noel offered a slot to them.
The younger Gallagher brother definitely had plenty of fun teasing supports last time around, before making some fairly more obvious posts and then seemingly just announcing them on social media according to his own timeline.
LG does what he wants, after all.
As for the supposed ’12 nights at the Etihad Stadium’ reported recently, not to mention all the other sets across the country that would no doubt follow should they come to fruition, Fray could say little else other than simply “Yes” to the prospect.
Joking, “Well, it is from me – I don’t know if someone else has said no!”, there have been no other indications on this front, but it’s safe to say it’d be a huge booking for everyone involved and a HUGE crowd-pleaser; Liam looks to be working on one of his own, elsewhere, too…
The two lead singers have both graced the stage of the Emirates Old Trafford stadium at Lancashire County Cricket Club, as well as Heaton Park, respectively.
Liam noted that he was at Heaton Park himself for that unforgettable summer last year, and also praised Wigan’s very own Ashcroft for being “unbelievable” when he caught him at Wembley. Big shoes to fill. The question is, who would you like to see supporting Oasis on their possible tour dates in the future?
In the meantime, we’ll have to be satisfied with gearing up for the release of the highly-anticipated reunion documentary, with the title and a first trailer now revealed.
Emily Sergeant -
7th March 2022 
