Collectibles: the Harry Potter factor
Set designers tap into the frenzy for Potter merchandise by offering limited-edition pieces they created for the film series
You might think that after creating props for Harry Potter films for more than a decade, Miraphora Mina would have reached her boy-wizard threshold. But that's not the case.
Instead, Mina and Eduardo Lima, her business partner whom she met on the set of Harry Potter in 2001, set up The Printorium in Britain last September that sells limited-edition designs from the sets of the films, including book covers from Hogwarts' Library, the first page of The Daily Prophet newspaper, The Marauder's Map and a poster for the 422nd Quidditich World Cup.
But when filming stopped the couple decided to help continue the Potter legacy. "We had created a huge body of work and thought it would be a shame to stop there so we pursued the idea of making a collectable art project. A lot of work wasn't seen in the films, or is seen only in the background so it exists as a part of Harry Potter's world. We wanted The Printorium to be a design project that reflected our passion for typography, design, composition and period ephemera.
"We had the freedom to fuse all of this in the Harry Potter films, and it seemed a shame for the substantial body of work to stop there. Warner Brothers was keen to strengthen the brand, and encouraged us to develop this idea as part of their collectable line."
It's estimated that more than 400 million Harry Potter books have been sold worldwide, spawning highly successful movies and video games and a merchandising frenzy that has led to the licensing of more than 400 related products (including an iPod). And with a brand estimated to be worth more than US$15 billion, it's easy to see why one would be tempted to get a slice of the Potter pie.