"Anyone who has purchased a wand from Wagstaff is advised to turn it in immediately, before it explodes."
-- an unnamed Ministry of Magic spokesperson from the Department of Magical Equipment Control (DP1)
Faulty Wands Recalled is a news article appearing on page 1 of the Daily Prophet (DP1).
The Department of Magical Equipment Control issued a warning about defective wands being sold in Diagon Alley by the shady street peddlar “Honest” Willy Wagstaff, who is also suspected of selling sub-standard cauldrons to the public. The wizarding community are advised that they should only buy wands bearing the Department’s stamp, as these are guaranteed to be safe (DP1).
Commentary
Notes
The Department of Magical Equipment Control is not one of those mentioned in the later books that set out the organisation of the Ministry of Magic departments (OP7, DH12). At the time this newsletter was written Rowling hadn't finalised the make-up of the Ministry, as evidenced by similar non-existent departments mentioned in books 1-3.
Would the wand-stamping authority have extended to the wands that Mr Ollivander stocks in his shop in Diagon Alley? None of the wands described there or later mention a visible Ministry stamp.
Although the date printed on the first Daily Prophet Newsletter (DP1) is 31 July 1998, the timeframe for this event is 1992-1993.