J.K. Rowling’s Chair Sells for Nearly $400,000 at Auction

 The chair that Harry Potterauthor J.K. Rowling sat in while writing the first two books of the wizardry series was sold at a New York City auction on Wednesday for $394,000, the Associated Press reports.

Rowling, 50, used the chair – which is reportedly one of four mismatched seats that were given to the writer – as she wrote Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stoneand Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

According to the AP, an anonymous buyer made the bid, which far surpassed the seller, Gerald Gray’s, expectations.

On the chair are etched in words from Rowling herself, who wrote “Gryffindor,” “I wrote Harry Potter in this chair,” and signed the piece before initially auctioning it off in 2002 for $21,000 to benefit charity, the AP reports, adding that the furniture also comes with an original letter, written and signed by the author.

“Dear new-owner-of-my-chair. I was given four mismatched dining room chairs in 1995 and this was the comfiest one, which is why it ended up stationed permanently in front of my typewriter, supporting me while I typed out ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ and ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” the note reportedly reads. “My nostalgic side is quite sad to see it go, but my back isn’t.”

 

The chair was also bought on eBay by Gray in 2009 for $29,000, the AP reports.

“I plan to donate 10 percent to J.K. Rowling’s charity, Lumos, because that’s what she did in the first place,” he told the news organization about his plans for the money he received at Wednesday’s auction.