Live Auction | September 25, 2018 | Boston, MA
Presenting the Apple-1 and innovative legacy of Steve Jobs www.RRAuction.com
Live Auction September 25, 2018 1:00 pm EST WeWork 200 Portland St, Boston, MA 02114
Lot 3027
Starting Bid $50,000 Online bidding for Lot 3027 is only available on Invaluable.com. You can also schedule a phone call during the live auction by contacting Sue Recks at 603-732-4280.
Partnership RR Auction is pleased to partner with Invaluable, the world’s leading online marketplace for fine art, antiques and collectibles, and Artmyn, a Swiss company revolutionizing how art is experienced, promoted and secured online, in the presentation of this historic Apple-1 computer. Invaluable and Artmyn have an exclusive partnership aimed at helping auction houses promote their sales in unique ways, increasing transparency and buyer confidence in the art market, and dramatically transforming the way art is experienced online. To view the Apple-1 using Artmyn’s exciting interactive 5D technology, visit Invaluable.com.
www.RRAuction.com (603) 732-4280 MA/Lic. #3214
Apple-1
The computer that started it all
The ‘Invaluable’ Apple-1 Un-used Prototype Area
Original Apple PROMS with “Woz Monitor” AMI Parallel Interface Adapter (6820) White ceramic MOS 6502 microprocessor
Original “Big Blue” capacitors
Original Power Supply Regulators
Original Apple Cassette Interface Card
An amazing, fully functional later production ‘Byte Shop’–style Apple-1 computer (also commonly known as the Apple I, or Apple Computer 1), complete with all components and accessories required for operation. The set includes:
• original Apple-1 board • original Apple Cassette Interface (ACI) • original Apple-1 Operation Manual • two original Apple Cassette Interface manuals • a period surplus ASCII keyboard • a period ‘open frame’ Sanyo 4205 video monitor • a new period-style power supply with original Apple-1 power cable and connector • period cassette interface cables
The condition is evaluated at 8.5/10—one of the finest in existence This Apple-1 computer was restored to its original, operational state in June 2018 by Apple-1 expert Corey Cohen, and a video of it running and functioning is available online at RRAuction.com. A comprehensive, technical condition report prepared by Cohen is available to qualified bidders; he evaluates the current condition of the unit as 8.5/10.
Jobs and Woz build the Apple-1
The Apple-1 was originally conceived by Steve Jobs and Steve ‘Woz’ Wozniak as a bare circuit board to be sold as a kit and completed by electronics hobbyists, their initial market being Palo Alto’s Homebrew Computer Club. Wozniak first demonstrated the Apple-1 at a club meeting in July 1976, and upon seeing interest among the membership, he and Jobs pooled their resources to have the boards produced. They originally hoped to sell 50 of them at $40 per board to recover their initial $1000 outlay. However, seeking a larger audience, Jobs approached Paul Terrell, owner of The Byte Shop in Mountain View, California, one of the first personal computer stores in the world. Terrell offered to buy 50 of the computers—at a wholesale price of $500 a piece, to retail at $666.66—but only if they came fully assembled. With this request, Terrell aimed to elevate the computer from the domain of the hobbyist/enthusiast to the realm of the mainstream consumer.
In the beginning, they hoped to sell 50 at $40 per board Jobs agreed to Terrell’s deal, and managed to secure favorable terms for financing the parts necessary to build 50 Apple-1 computers. He and Wozniak then spent ten days putting together, soldering, and testing the Apple-1 units before delivering them to The Byte Shop. Thus, the Apple-1 was one of the first completely assembled ‘personal’ computers which did not require soldering by the end user, and simply worked out of the box with a few accessories that could be purchased from a local electronics store (a power supply, case, keyboard, and monitor were not included). All together, over a span of about ten months, Jobs and Wozniak produced about 200 Apple-1 computers and sold 175 of them. The consignor of this Apple-1, a self-described ‘mainframe guy,’ attended one early Homebrew Computer Club meeting to see what it was all about. He purchased this Apple-1 secondhand from a co-worker for $300, and began learning BASIC and writing small programs. Even after outgrowing the system, he held onto it, realizing it could one day be a valuable piece of computing history. In 1982, he attempted to sell this Apple-1 to Steve Wozniak for $10,000—an offer that, fortunately, went unanswered.
Fully functional!
The most remarkable aspect of this Apple-1 computer is that it is documented to be fully operational: the system was operated without fault for approximately eight hours in a comprehensive test.
Operated without fault in a comprehensive test An Apple-1 is not considered fully functional until it can perform all of the tasks on the adjacent page as they require a fully operational system with no memory or system faults.
This operational examination included: • Entering and executing Apple-1 check out program from the Apple-1 Operation Manual • Loading Apple Basic using the ACI and digital audio source • Entering and executing a small Apple Basic program • Loading Apple 8k Star Trek in Apple Basic using the ACI and digital audio source • Playing Checkers in Apple Basic • Loading Apple the 30th, ASCII graphics demo using the ACI and digital audio source
A ‘Byte Shop’– style board The later production ‘Byte Shop’–style of this Apple-1 is indicated by discrete component dates which match other known Apple-1 boards of similar vintage, assembled and sold by Apple in the fall of 1976 and early 1977. On the left side, the board is marked: “Apple Computer 1, Palo Alto, Ca. Copyright 1976.” Unlike many of the known Apple-1 boards, this unit has not had any modifications to the physical board, and the prototype area is clean and unused. This Apple-1 board bears a marking on the reverse side, “01-00002,” which appears to be a stock ID number from an unknown third-party reseller; it differs from the numbering scheme traditionally attributed to The Byte Shop. This is the only known Apple-1 example which uses this numbering pattern, ink, and handwriting. Apple itself did not assign serial numbers to the Apple-1.
This Apple-1 has been wired to use 8K of onboard DRAM This Apple-1 has been wired to use 8K of onboard DRAM. Revolutionary at the time, the standard Apple-1 included 4K of inexpensive dynamic random access memory (DRAM), which could be expanded to 8K on board or 64K externally. Most computers in the Apple-1’s price range used more expensive static memory (SRAM), which limited them to 1K of memory for a similar cost. We still use DRAM technology today in computers, mobile phones, and electronics.
Original Apple Cassette Interface Card
With a pristine original Apple Cassette Interface Card This Apple-1 also includes an original Apple-1 Cassette Interface (ACI), also introduced in 1976, which provides the ability to save memory contents onto a standard audio tape, and later load the contents back into the computer’s memory. Revolutionary for the time, Steve Wozniak designed the ACI to use only 6 integrated circuits, compared to other solutions which used 50 to 100 integrated circuits. This allowed Apple to sell their solution for less than their competitors; the Apple ACI also operated at four times the speed of its contemporary competitors.
Another central characteristic of the Apple-1 is its built-in video terminal, which allows output to a television screen or video monitor. This was a dramatic advance from the traditional computer input/output mechanism of the day, the ASR-33 teletype, which printed a computer’s output onto a spool of paper. With this video port, the Apple-1 allowed a user to view commands on a screen in real time—something taken for granted in today’s computing world. Included with this Apple-1 is a period (circa 1976) Sanyo VM4205 open frame ‘security’ monitor, wired for direct Apple-1 use and modified for safety to use a removable power cord. The keyboard included is a fully functional period (circa 1974) surplus ASCII keyboard.
The accompanying documentation includes the original Apple-1 Operation Manual and two original Apple Cassette Interface manuals, disbound and three hole–punched for storage in a binder. These manuals feature the original “Apple Computer Co.” logo, designed by third Apple co-founder Ron Wayne, on the covers. The Operation Manual features information on getting the system running, using the system monitor, and expanding the Apple system, and has a fold-out schematic of the Apple-1 computer. The page headed “6502 Hex Monitor Listing”—a famous program commonly known as the ‘Woz Monitor’—has several areas covered with white-out which are known to have hand corrections on many of the surviving Apple-1 document sets. On the back of the manual are some handwritten technical notations, including the contact information at Apple for Dan Kottke (here spelled “Cotkey”), a college friend of Steve Jobs who joined Apple in 1977 as employee #12. Kottke would have been a key person for Apple-1 support in 1977. The two ACI manuals are identical, with one manual having handwritten notations on the front and exhibiting some light soiling.
Leaving a legacy The early success of the Apple-1 in 1976 paved the way for the introduction of the Apple II in the spring of 1977. In Apple’s 1980 IPO prospectus, the company described its progress: ‘In April 1977 the Company introduced the Apple II computer mainframe which was similar to the Apple I but incorporated additional circuitry and a keyboard, and was packaged in a plastic housing.’ In other words, the Apple II built upon the Apple-1 to become an even more capable, more consumer-ready machine. Between 1977 and 1980, on the sales of the Apple II and its peripherals, accessories, and software, Apple Computer’s yearly revenue grew from $774,000 to $118 million, making it one of the great growth stories of Silicon Valley. The Apple-1 is not only a marvel of early computing ingenuity, but the product that launched what is today one of the most valuable and successful companies in the world.
From the board to the block In addition to the original Apple-1 board, RR Auction is proud bring four rare Steve Jobs signed items to the auction block: a 1982 Time Magazine cover, a 1982 Apple annual report, a 1982 banquet program, and a Macintosh Plus signed by Jobs and nine members of his team. Steve Jobs was notoriously reluctant to sign autographs, generally only signing at conferences or with other members of his team. The scarcity of his signature has made it one of the most coveted and valuable autographs of the modern age. These remarkable items represent the continuing technological legacy that began with the introduction of the Apple-1.
Macintosh Plus computer signed by Steve Jobs and nine team members
Lot 3033 Steve Jobs and Nine Team Members Signed Macintosh Plus Computer Starting Bid $2,500
Amazing original Apple Macintosh Plus 1Mb personal computer, serial no. F84525GM0001A, signed on the bottom of the beige-colored case in black felt tip by Steve Jobs along with nine key members of Apple’s Macintosh team: Andy Hertzfeld, Patti Kenyon, Guy L. ‘Bud’ Tribble, Joanna R. Hoffman, Steve Capps, Larry Kenyon, Mike Boich, Brian Howard, and Guy Kawasaki. Complete with its original mouse and keyboard. In fine condition. Accompanied by full letters of authenticity from PSA/DNA and Beckett Authentication Services, and a letter of provenance from the consignor. These signatures were obtained in person by Silicon Valley photographer Robert Holmgren, who in 1988 used this Macintosh Plus as a prop in a photo shoot in advance of the Macintosh five-year anniversary, with much of the original Macintosh team. At that shoot, he asked those present to sign the underside of the computer. Though Steve Jobs was not present at the session, Holmgren photographed him in 1993 and obtained his signature at that time; Kawasaki also signed at a later date. Many of these signatures are also famously found in embossed versions molded inside the hard plastic case, the result of a 1982 ‘signing party’ of the original Macintosh team who, like artists, desired to sign their work. Introduced in 1986, the Macintosh Plus was the third computer in the iconic Macintosh line. An improvement over the Macintosh 512K, it shipped with 1MB of RAM standard, and was expandable up to 4MB. It also included an external SCSI peripheral bus and several smaller improvements over its predecessors. Although the Macintosh Plus was soon overshadowed by the release of the Macintosh SE and the Macintosh II in 1987, it remained in production as a less expensive alternative until 1990—making it the longest-produced Macintosh ever. Featuring an important roster of key figures in the development of the Macintosh—including Jobs as Apple’s founder, Hertzfeld as an important software designer, and Kawasaki as an influential marketer—this is a supremely rare and immensely desirable signed example of a classic computer.
Photos credited to Robert Holmgren
Lot 3029 Steve Jobs Signed Time Magazine Cover Starting Bid $1,000 Rare magazine cover featuring Steve Jobs removed from the February 15, 1982 issue of Time, 8.25 x 10.75, beautifully signed in the lower left in black ink, “steve jobs.” The cover story, “Striking It Rich,” portrays “Steven Jobs of Apple Computer” as one of “America’s Risk Takers.” In very good to fine condition, with scattered light creasing, a central horizontal mailing fold, and a light paperclip impression to the top edge. Accompanied by full letters of authenticity from PSA/DNA and Beckett Authentication Services, and a letter of provenance from the consignor. The Time article described the nation’s upstart tech entrepreneurs whose firms were beginning to meet with massive success—Apple went public with an IPO in 1980, and had grown dramatically by 1982. At the end of the year, it was rumored that Jobs was under consideration as a finalist for Time’s ‘Man of the Year’—instead, Time named ‘The Computer’ as its ‘Machine of the Year.’ A superior signed piece rooted in the beginnings of Steve Jobs’s much-publicized success.
To view the entire Remarkable Rarities auction, please visit www.RRAuction.com
Lot 3030 Steve Jobs Signed Annual Report
Lot 3031 Steve Jobs Signed Program
Starting Bid $1,000
Starting Bid $1,000
Bid in person
Bid by phone
The auction will be held at WeWork, 200 Portland St, Boston, MA 02114 and starts promptly at 1:00 pm EST. Please notify by email Bobby Eaton (Bobby@RRAuction.com), if you are planning to attend the auction.
Bid by email
Tuesday, September 25 at 1:00pm EST
Bid by internet
Bidding will be available through www.RRAuction.com and Invaluable.com.
Pre-live bidding:
Auction opens Thursday, September 13 and ends Monday, September 24 at 12:00 pm EST.
Live bidding:
Begins Tuesday, September 25 at 1:00 pm EST.
Schedule a phone call during the live auction by contacting Sue Recks at 603-732-4280 You may also call to leave absentee bids if unable to attend.
You can email your bids to Sue Recks (Sue@RRAuction.com). Please list lot numbers and maximum bids. Include your name, address, and phone number as well as a statement confirming that you accept the terms and conditions of the auction.
Questions
If you have questions about these items, please contact Bobby Livingston at Bobby.Livingston@RRAuction.com
Online bidding for Lot 3027 is only available on Invaluable.com. You can also schedule a phone call during the live auction by contacting Sue Recks at 603-732-4280.
Bob Eaton CEO, Acquisitions bob.eaton@rrauction.com
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Our finest offerings of the year
Photo credited to Robert Holmgren
REMARKABLE RARITIES SEPTEMBER 25, 2018
Once a year, RR Auction gathers together the best of the best – items so superlative, so historic, so unique, they belong in a class by themselves. We call this our Remarkable Rarities auction.
www.Invaluable.com
www.RRAuction.com
This don't-miss auction will spotlight a selection of Steve Jobs items – led by an original Apple-1 computer, as well as four items signed by Jobs: a Macintosh Plus computer, a 1982 Apple Annual Report, an award program and a Time Magazine cover. Over 50 lots including historically significant documents, handwritten letters and signatures from Beethoven, US presidents and Founding Fathers, a fantastic oversized photo of Marilyn Monroe, a Beatles-signed guitar, and so much more.