Does Anybody Know...

[neadods]

Two questions for the world at large:

Does anybody know where I can get a true region-free DVD player?
(Preferably region free out of the box, rather than "buy this version and yank out these wires" if I can avoid it.) Because thanks to hildy I have just discovered that not only are there two seasons of a remade Randall and Hopkirk, Deceased series out there on DVD, but the entire first series (not just the first season) is available on DVD.

If you're English.

If I get Comcast cable I'll have a shot at collecting the remake, but at this point it's probably less money in the long run to get the DVD player and buy disks of Brit series as I discover/desire them.

Does anyone know a really reputable collectable/rare book dealer?
(this question xposted to tbr_bookshelf)
Note: for a good one, I'll go out of town. I need someone who knows their modern stuff and can be trusted.

Y'see... last night maureen_the_mad & I threw a little post-4th party, and during the conversation, one of the people there said that one of his friends had called to brag to him that she had a Harry Potter book worth $5,000. Before Harry Potter took off in America, Scholastic came out with a version that wasn't numbered on the spine (with the thought that if it tanked, they wouldn't deal with the rest of the series.) That short-run first American edition is now, according to this friend-of-a-friend, worth 5 grand.

Now, lets rewind 7 years, to when I read this little article in the Post about this kid's book that was so popular in England that they came out with two covers so adults could read it and thought, as I so often do, "Sounds cool. I'll go buy it." Found it in Crown (for 30% off), so I picked it up. As Doug talked, I pulled my copy down and we took a look at it.

I have the rare edition.

In excellent condition.

With pristine dust jacket.

SIGNED!

Not trusting to party chatter, I went online. A quick websearch shows one page that says it's worth $3,500, and another page that says it's worth up to $8-10,000.

A couple of my friends say I should hold onto it, that it will only become more valuable as time goes on. Me, I figure I've got another rare old book (a Nancy Drew worth around $100) that I can brag about. Nancy's value will remain stable; I've got no idea how long Pottermania will last or if it will fade away like beanie babies. If I can knock a decade off my mortgage payments with a book, I'm selling that bugger so fast...

But to whom? How?

If anyone knows a good book dealer, please send me their contact info. For this, I'll travel to Chicago or NYC; if this thing is worth what they say, I'll make plenty enough to pay back a cheap plane/train ticket.

I don't have an icon for "gobsmacked" so I'll have to go with "fainted from shock."

ETA: I'm pretty sure my "Chamber of Secrets" is also a 1st Am. Ed., as I remember kicking my butt for not picking up the Brit edition at Balticon that year and thus being impatient to read it ASAP. According to the same sites it's worth a lowly $200-odd... if I part with one, I'll part with both, 'cause - DAMN! I can buy a new pair of American hardbacks with the price of Chamber and still have cash left over.

Comments

[beledibabe.livejournal.com]

I can ask around, if you'd like. Just let me know how much info you wouldn't mind sharing - title, edition, yadda - so that I can see if folks can narrow dow their suggestions.

[lagilman]

There used to be several in Manhattan I'd have trusted to value things honestly.. let me check and see if they're still in business.

You might also want to e-mail me specifics and I can pass it along to someone who might know actual recent resale values...

At the very least, it's worth more than you paid for it, so mazel tov! *grin*

[wiliqueen.livejournal.com]

You don't have to yank any wires, or go inside the case at all, for probably the best ones anyway. Don't pay someone an extra $100 to do it.

The hack for the Sampo 611 consists of burning a single line of text in ISO format onto a CD-R and putting it in the machine.

The hack for the basic Daewoo most commonly carried at places like Target (I'm blanking on the model number; I'll check with hubby or amilyn later) is in a hidden menu, and consists of hitting five or six buttons on the remote.

Both of these, along with lots of others, can be found in eminently searchable form at:

http://www.videohelp.com

or in the forums at:

http://www.nerd-out.com

Either of these machines can be had for under $100. Our Sampo, after three years, has developed a tendency to overheat and start skipping. Amy and Husband have gone through one Daewoo and a second is starting to die, which recommends against using it heavily as one's primary DVD player. But they can be found on sale for $60 fairly frequently, so *shrug*.

Both machines have very respectable sound and picture quality and will play pretty much anything but dinner plates.

Rare Book Dealer

[fiona64.livejournal.com]

I don't know what constitutes "out of town" for you, but Green Apple Books, in San Francisco, is an outstanding rare book source. I *think* they might be on the internet, but can't swear to it.