UPDATED: Bloomsbury to Auction off Exclusive Patronus Art for Charity!

by Mary Wojcicki · Published June 10, 2019 · Updated August 9, 2023

Bloomsbury, the British publisher of the Harry Potter series, will mark the 20th anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban this summer with an auction in support of the UK charity BookTrust, it has been announced.

Over 20 children’s book illustrators from the United Kingdom, the Bloomsbury Harry Potter illustrators (Jim Kay, Jonny Duddle, Levi Pinfold, Emily Gravett, and Chris Riddell), and Harry Potter graphic design artists MinaLima (Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima) have all joined in to contribute their own original postcard-sized illustrations of “Patronus creatures.”

Diana Gerald, the CEO of BookTrust, was quoted in the press release.

We are thrilled to be part of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’s 20th anniversary and we know that these exclusive, one-of-a-kind illustrations will be in high demand. It’s lovely to think that a novel [that] has inspired children around the globe, along with some of the world’s most talented illustrators, will help BookTrust to support families and get books into the hands of children across the UK.

Bloomsbury provided a list of the artists taking part in the auction, which can be found in the press release below.

The auction will be held on eBay, and the postcard illustrations will be on display at Waterstones Piccadilly.

Prospective purchasers will be able to bid for the pieces online at BookTrust’s eBay for Charity page, which will be live at 6 pm BST on Monday 8th July and the postcards will be displayed during that week at Waterstones Piccadilly

Bloomsbury is also hosting a contest in schools around the UK with The Week Junior magazine to encourage children to create their own Patronus artwork. That competition began on June 7 and will run until June 27.

You can find the press release from Bloomsbury below!

Press Release

PATRONUS ART AUCTION FOR BOOKTRUST KICKS OFF CELEBRATIONS MARKING 20 YEARS OF HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN

‘The Patronus turned. It was cantering back towards Harry across the still surface of the water. It wasn’t a horse. It wasn’t a unicorn, either. It was a stag. It was shining brightly as the moon above ... it was coming back to him ...’ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

8th July 2019 marks 20 years since the first publication of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in the UK – the spellbinding third book in the phenomenally successful Harry Potter series that introduced readers to the notion of casting their Patronus – a protective spell that manifests as a silvery animal guardian.

Along with brand[-]new House [e]ditions featuring stunning artwork by Levi Pinfold, Bloomsbury will be celebrating this momentous occasion with a very exciting project.

Bloomsbury – the home of Harry Potter books in the UK – has joined forces with BookTrust, the UK’s largest reading charity, to mark 20 years of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban with a thrilling event that celebrates the Patronus Charm in all of its magical forms.

A stellar line-up of over 20 top UK children’s book illustrators, Bloomsbury Harry Potter book artists (Jim Kay, Jonny Duddle, Levi Pinfold, Emily Gravett and Chris Riddell), and the amazing design minds behind MinaLima are creating ORIGINAL postcard-sized illustration[s] of Patronus creatures.

Diana Gerald, BookTrust CEO, commented, “We are thrilled to be part of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’s 20th anniversary and we know that these exclusive, one-of-a-kind illustrations will be in high demand. It’s lovely to think that a novel [that] has inspired children around the globe, along with some of the world’s most talented illustrators, will help BookTrust to support families and get books into the hands of children across the UK.”

Illustrators taking part are:

Dapo Adeola
Steve Antony
Rob Biddulph
Jonny Duddle
Jim Field
Emily Gravett
Mini Grey
Sophy Henn
Yasmeen Ismail
Jim Kay
Neal Layton
Steven Lenton
James Mayhew
Sarah McIntyre
Miraphora Mina
Eduardo Lima
Tom Percival
Liz Pichon
Levi Pinfold
Catherine Raynor
Chris Riddell
Nadia Shireen
Alex T Smith
Rachel Suzanne
Joe Todd-Stanton
Ken Wilson-Max

Prospective purchasers will be able to bid for the pieces online at BookTrust’s eBay for Charity page, which will be live at 6 pm BST on Monday 8th July and the postcards will be displayed during that week at Waterstones Piccadilly. With a wealth of talent from the world of children’s books, these unique interpretations of the animal form of the Patronus are guaranteed to be a must-have for fans of all ages. Keep an eye out at www.booktrust.org.uk for more information.

Meanwhile, Bloomsbury is working closely with The Week Junior magazine to challenge children in schools throughout the UK to create their own ‘Patronus on a Postcard’ and win some amazing Harry Potter prizes. The competition runs from 7th – 27th June. Judges include Harry Potter illustrator Levi Pinfold and The Week Junior’s editor-in-chief, Anna Bassi.

Check BookTrust’s website for more information about next month’s auction! Do you plan to bid on one of these exclusive pieces?

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UPDATE (July 10): In case you missed our post marking the anniversary of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban‘s publication on July 8, the postcard auction is now live!

You can view the listings on BookTrust’s eBay for Charity page here. Thanks to Bloomsbury, you can preview the artwork right here in our gallery.