First edition Harry Potter book sells for $19,120

A Dallas auction house says a soft-cover copy of the first Harry Potter book sold for just over USD 19,000.

The winning bidder was a vintage comic book collector from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. His wife is a fan of the Harry Potter series. "Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone," was one of only 200 copies from the first printing issued with illustrated wrappers by London publisher Bloomsbury.

The 1997 book includes an illustrated card signed by author JK Rowling. The book was published in the US as "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.' The winning bid of USD 19,120 was nearly double the previous record for a soft-cover Harry Potter book, Heritage Auction Galleries said.