Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by Rowling, J.K - 2005

London: Bloomsbury, 2005. 1st Edition . Hardcover. Fine/Fine. 8vo, pp. 607, unclipped dust jacket with the minimum of shelf wear, bright, author's signature on title page, faint yellow spotting to edges, otherwise clean. crisp and bright, binding tight. In its original paper bag (a little crumpled) printed with the date 16th July 2005, contained within a blue velveteen bag with gilt tassels (one detached) and draw string, this with a label bearing the recipient's name, two t-shirts, one bearing the book's title and 'Book Launch, Saturday 16th July 2005', the other with the name of Dubray Books [Dublin], the name of the book and the date, July 16 2005; a gilt painted pebble numbered 10, a silver painted pebble numbered 4, two zig-zag stickers, a black and coppery-gilt lame cloth in which there was food for the midnight feast, a printed sheet (folded) containing the words of 'The Hogwarts Song' and a laminated pass for The Edinburgh Weekend, 15-17 July 2005, made out to the recipient's mother who accompanied her. This copy was presented as a prize to an 11-year old Dublin young lady who had won a competition to be at the launch of the book in Edinburgh Castle on the 16th of July 2005. There is a Youtube recording of the event in which the recipient is clearly seen, as well as a record of the question she was allowed to put to the author. The pebbles were drawn to determine each child's position within the selected audience on the stage with Ms Rowling. The recipient drew one but was placed in a disadvantageous position and was allowed to redraw to be moved closer to the front due to her diminutive size! This is one of the rarest signed Harry Potter books as the author had ceased signing tours by the time of its publication.