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Alan Rickman's personal copies of the Harry Potter book series by J.K. Rowling. Rickman famously played Professor Severus Snape across the eight Harry Potter films. This lot comes from the personal archive of the late Alan Rickman.
The lot comprises well-read copies of the seven books in the series, plus a duplicate copy of Deathly Hallows and a US edition of Goblet of Fire wrapped in cellophane decorated with hearts. The lot also includes three other books: a copy of Philosopher's Stone autographed by Rickman on the cover and printed in Dzongkha, the national language of Bhutan; a limited edition Sotheby's catalogue - also signed by Rickman - printed for their 2007 sale of a handwritten and hand-illustrated copy of Rowling's The Tales of Beedle the Bard, which ultimately sold for a record £1.95 million; and a copy of The Seeker's Guide to Harry Potter by Dr. Geo Athena Trevarthen, which features an handwritten message to Rickman from Trevarthen on the title page and a typed letter from her folded and tucked into the book.
Estimate: £1,000 - 2,000 M
Equally at home on stage or screen, Alan Rickman was a major star, despite entering his profession late. After working in graphic design, his first theatrical engagement after graduating from RADA in 1974 was at the Library Theatre, Manchester, where, aged 28, he was contracted for a season of underwhelming plays.
Steady work followed, but an unhappy season with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1978 led Rickman to question his future. But after appearances at the Bush, London's pre-eminent fringe theatre of the time, in 1981, he found his spiritual home: the Royal Court Theatre. Rickman appeared in several shows, which established him as a leading man, but also provided him with the rehearsal technique - his "process" - which he would use in the preparation of every role he played. He returned to the RSC in 1985 to play the Vicomte de Valmont in Les Liaisons Dangereuses, first in Stratford, then the West End and finally Broadway, establishing him as a theatrical star.
Rickman's commitment to theatre meant that he did not make his theatrical film debut until 1988, but what a debut it was. Die Hard was an instant classic, with Rickman elevating a character who could have been the standard Euro-villain into a Hollywood Hall of Fame psychopath, Hans Gruber. Rickman became an overnight star at the age of forty-two, and three years later, he cemented his place in Hollywood with his film-stealing performance in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
He set about putting his fame to work for him, enabling "difficult" projects to get funding, as well as opening doors and wallets for his favourite causes. Rickman was a firm believer in "sending the elevator back down" and provided support to young actors, writers and theatres whenever possible. His fellow professionals shared audience adoration of him, and the young casts of the Harry Potter films could not have asked for a more generous mentor than Severus Snape, on whom they bestowed homemade gifts and awards - all of which Rickman kept, and form a poignant part of this archive.
View all lots from HARRY POTTER FRANCHISE (1997-2011)
View all lots from Alan Rickman Archive
View all lots from HARRY POTTER - ALL ITEMS