Meet the world’s biggest ‘Harry Potter’ fan

Menahem Asher Silva Vergas’ private collection has been certified by Guinness Awards

Last updated: September 15, 2018 | 23:10

1 MIN READ

Mexico City: A young Mexican’s fascination with Harry Potter has grown into the world’s biggest private collection of toys, books, clothes and other items related to author JK Rowling’s fantasy hero. Now, other fans have a chance to see it all.

The collection belonging to real estate lawyer Menahem Asher Silva Vargas has been certified by Guinness Awards as the largest anywhere. And it is on display at the Mexican Museum of Antique Toys in Mexico City.

Silva Vargas started collecting Harry Potter items 15 years ago, when he was 12. He started with toys, then branched out to all sorts of things, from scarves and soda cans to Japanese and Chinese language editions of Rowling’s books.

He has 3,097 items in all. The exhibit formally opens on Saturday.

Harry Potter fans Mateo Lara, 5, right, and his brother Francisco, 7, pose for photos with a live owl inside an exhibition of the Guinness World Record holding collection of Harry Potter memorabilia, at the Mexican Museum of Antique Toys, in Mexico City, Friday, Feb. 27, 2015. Mexico's fan Menahem Asher Silva Vargas assembled the collection, which contains thousand objects, including figurines, wands, magazines, puzzles, and accessories. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

A Harry Potter fan visits an exhibition of the Guinness World Record holding collection of Harry Potter memorabilia, at the Mexican Museum of Antique Toys, in Mexico City, Friday, Feb. 27, 2015. Mexico's fan Menahem Asher Silva Vargas assembled the collection, which contains thousand objects, including figurines, wands, magazines, puzzles, and accessories. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

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