Apple-1 computers continue to generate news stories

David Larsen with Apple-1 in his museum

Golly - Just recently a women cleaned out her garage of old computer junk and took it to a recycling center in San Francisco - the operators of the center must be good folks. Going thought her boxes of stuff they found an Apple-1 computer and sold it to a private buyer for $200,000. They are currently looking for the lady that donated the computer junk to share 1/2 of the sale with her.  I hope they find her - as good a winning the lottery $100,000.  See story. one more story 

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Their are many  good books about the history of the Apple-1 computer - Here is Bob Luther's Story in book form. Bob owned 2 Apple-1 computers and has sold both of them one at Christie's in December 2014 and one on Ebay about April 2015.

Click image to enlarge

the first Apple , Book

"the first Apple" by Robert J. Luther, Published by MassMedia.mobi Press
ISBN 978-0-9891677-0-3 Copyright 2013 385 pages
 - book is full of interesting and often intriguing interviews of some of the folks associated with the start up of the Apple Computer Company. Bob has reason to believe the Apple 1 computer he purchased at a Sheriff's Sale in 2004 is the first one sold by the Apple Company to a consumer.  He interviewed many techies, historians and collectors of Apple memorabilia to document his Apple 1 computer. This is a great story of his fortunate find and being the winning bidder.





This podcast is an interesting story generated about an Apple-1 computer
    
 Bob Luther tells you in his own voice what inspired him to write his book "the first Apple"

(L-R) Bob Luther & David Larsen

Bob Luther visits our museum in 2013.





To see my list of reading books for historical microcomputers look here "CLICK"

Here is a podcast about my 60 years of computers, electronics and amateur radio "CLICK"

David Larsen

 The Apple-1 computers are rare and continue to generate news on a regular basis like the women who gave hers to a computer recycle place and had no idea it was worth $200,000. I have posted about Luther's book to bring attention to his audio story above and additional  interesting books about the early days of microcomputers.

 Looking forward to seeing our twin granddaughters graduate from High School this weekend in Maryland.    .^{"by David Larsen"  KK4WW Computer Collector Historian} 

Apple-1 computer sale $365,000 at Christie's Auction December 11,2014

Apple-1 computer sold for $365,000 at Christie's Auction today.    

Apple 1 sold at Christie's - credit Christie's

The Bob Luther had the only surviving Apple-1 Computer to come with proof that it was personally sold by Steve Jobs sold at Christie's  auction.  The sale included a canceled check made out to 'Apple Computer' in July 1976 for the $600 purchase price. Christie's Auction estimated its value to be between $400,000 and $600,000. The Apple-1 was originally the property of Charles Rickett's, who wrote the check to Apple for $600, along with the words "Purchased 1976 from Steve Jobs in his parents' garage in Los Altos."  This example is the only known surviving Apple-1 documented to have been sold directly by Steve Jobs.

More info about the Christie's Auction 

Bob Luther purchased Charles Rickett's Apple-1 at a Sheriffs sale in December 2004. Bob relates how he read about the sale in a tiny classified ad for an auction in the Washington Post in his book "the first Apple".

Video of this Apple-1 

The Apple-1 computer was designed by Steve Wozniak - Only 200 were manufactured and sold in 1976/77. About 60 are known to still exist in museums and private collections. The previous sale of   Apple 1 computer was in  October of this year at Bonhams Auction  for $905,000. The Henry Ford organization was the buyer at the Bonhams Auction (reported Reuters) , which plans to display the computer in its museum in Dearborn, Michigan.The Auction Team Breker sold and Apple 1 May 25th 2013 for $671,400. Information about other Apple 1 computer sales "CLICK".

Apple 1 computer 

The Apple 1 was not very popular because it was only a computer-on-a-board and the user had to add a keyboard, power transformers, &  display. Steve Wozniak realized he needed a more user friendly computer & started to design the Apple-ll before all the Apple-1's were sold.  The Apple Company took  the Apple-1 computers as a trade in for the much better Apple ll .

Steve Jobs sold his VW and Steve Wozniak sold his HP calculator to start their Apple business.The Apple Company may not have succeed if Steve Jobs had not been successful in selling the first 50 Apple-1 computers to Paul Terrell for his Byte Shop computer stores. This $25,000 sale was the financing needed to get Apple started. It was not easy for the Steve's to interest investors to provide start up funds. One person approached was Stan Veit owner of the first computer store on the East Coast.  Jobs offered a 10 percent ownership of the Apple Company if Stan would invest $10,000. Stan turned the offer down with the idea that his money was better used in his own "Computer Mart" in New York. The interesting stories about the Apple-1 and the start of the Apple company by Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs are endless & the "Apple-1 computer" started what is now one of the most successful businesses in the world.  

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More Apple-1 computer news

Ron Wayne's Apple computer proof documents sold for $25,000 today at Christie's.

David Larsen.

The Apple-1 computer continues to bring big prices and is  a unique microcomputer . Bob Luther says he may use the funds to purchase an original 1964 Chevrolet Corvette to add to his antique car colletion.

^{"by David Larsen"  KK4WW Computer Collector Historian}   

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Apple-1 computers annual inspection & Apple-1 computer at auction.

info click

Fridays are always interesting working with Grayson Van Beuren. Grayson visits the museum Friday,s as part of his Graduate Independent Study project. This week we brought the Apple 1 computers from the bank vault to the museum for an annual inspection. Apple-1 at auction next month -- see story at end of blog.

Click on photo to enlarge 

Apple 1 Computer 

Grayson giving an Apple-1 a good visual exam. The Apple 1 computers were operational the last time they were powered up however we have no reason apply power for each annual inspection. It will be an easy task to make them operational when needed. The logic of the computer is not complex and problems are easy to repair.  Steve Wozniak's design of the Apple 1 uses a minimum of IC chips. A very clever design.

Apple 1 Computer

Grayson and I gave all four Apple-1 computers a good inspection and found them continue to be in excellent condition.  These computers are on Mike Willegal's "Apple 1 Registry" as numbers 13,22,42, & 55 in the Registry list "Summary of Apple 1s".

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Bob Luther's Apple-1 and Ron Wayne's proofs of Apple documents to be sold at Christie's Auction December 11,2014.

LR- Ron Wayne & Steve Wozniak - credit Bob Luther

Ron Wayne & Steve Wozniak , Apple's remaining co-founders, met Monday November 17th 2014 to talk about the growing interest in Apple memorabilia.  Ron Wayne was one of the original 3 owners of the Apple Company. Ron sold his 10 percent interest in the company for about $800 12 days after the owners agreements were signed. The Ron Wayne story is not generally known by the public.

Bob Luther arranged this meeting  to help Wayne sell his original Apple working proofs . These proofs and Bob Luther's Apple-1 will be sold by Christie's Auction December 11, 2014. You can see part Ron Wayne's interview in Bob Luther's Book "the First Apple" in my blog.

Here is interesting video of Ron Wayne telling how he was involved in the founding of the Apple Computer company.
                   

David Larsen

Christie's auction of Bob Luthers  Apple-1 computer and Ron Wayne's working proofs is only 50 days after Bonham's auction of an Apple-1 computer for $905,000 This will be interesting - what is your prediction of the selling price ??

.^{"by David Larsen"  KK4WW Computer Collector Historian}   
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Apple-1 Computer for sale Dec 11 - Bob Luther author of "The First Apple" interviews of people from start up days of Apple Computer

LR, Bob Luther & David Larsen

Apple-1 Computer For Sale
NEWS FLASH - Bob Luther is selling his "First Apple-1 Computer"  December 11,2014 at Christie's Auction. Sold for $365,000 !
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My wife and I had the pleasure of an 8 day cruise up the East Coast and this gave me time for reading. I read "The First Apple" by Bob Luther for the second time.

"The First Apple" by Bob Luther

info click

Most of the people he included were involved in the start up of the Apple Computer Company.  I found reading these interviews very interesting and I learned a lot more about the early days of the Apple Company. The folks Bob interviewed had great bits of information and stories to share.

If you have an interest in any of the people in this list below "The First Apple" book is the place to read a current interview in their own words. A lot of good reading with about 300 pages of interviews.

  

   Bob Luther tells you in his own voice what inspired him to write his book "the first Apple"

Allen Baum     (I have included a few excerpts of  interviews below with permission of Bob Luther.)

Mario Boglioni

Joey Copson

Rick Crandall

Bill Fernandez

Elizabeth Holmes

Dick Huston

Federico Ini

Sallam Ismail

Steve Jobs

Dan Kottke

Dave Larsen

Liza Loop

Lonnie Mimms

Neil Goldberg

Owen O’Mahony

Jef Raskin

Charles Ricketts

Wendell Sander

Risley Sams

Adam Schoolsky

Mike Scott

Dan Sokol

Craig Solomonson

Paul Terrell

Bruce Waldack

David Waldack

Ron Wayne

Randy Wigginton

Mike Willegal

Steve Wozniak 

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Excerpts from Ron Wayne interview - Ron was one of the 3 original owners of the Apple Company. 

PG 117-118

Ron Wayne

Bob- Did you leave before they started making the Apple-1?

Ron Wayne- I backed out of the situation twelve days after I drew up the contract. So I was never really involved in the workings of the whole Apple enterprise. I’ve been the ‘unknown founder” for decades.

I’ve had many vocations in my life, failing at each. I’ll put it to you this way. I’ve never been rich, but I’ve never been hungry either. And I’ve done a lot of fun stuff, and pursued many interesting things in my lifetime.

I’m absolutely convinced that I’ll go down as a footnote in history, literally because I happened to have known someone. Steve Jobs’ name will ring through the corridors of time. He’s had a very phenomenal, very productive, and very dominant life of activity in the computer world.

PG 120

It seems I made a very foolish mistake many years ago, roughly twenty years ago. I ran across an ad that somebody was running a guy who deals in famous autographs. And I’m thinking to myself, look…I’ve got this contract sitting in a filing cabinet collecting dust. Maybe I can turn this into some money, which at the time I could use. So I got in touch with the guy, and we negotiated, and that contract was sold to him for five hundred dollars. And you know what happened to that contract?

Bob- It sold at auction for one $1,500,000.

Ron- Now you got it. I’ve always been a day late and a dollar short.

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Excerpts From interview with Adam Schoolsky a friend of Wozniak in the very early days of Apple. Adam tells about the Zaltair Computer spoof he and Wozniak did at the First West Coast Computer Fair in 1977 - The Computer that never was. I was fortunate to purchase and Apple-1 computer from Adam in 1995.

PG 258-259

Bob- In terms of the fair, did they need some help maintaining the booth? How did you

Adam Schoolsky

come about participating in that?

Adam- Steve and I had done those Zaltair brochures for that thing. I did help out in the booth. I think I was there mostly to check things out, and to distribute Zaltair brochures.

Bob- Was the Zaltair prank something you and Steve had planned out much in advance?

Adam- What we did was, I’d gone to his apartment a few weeks in advance, and we basically hashed the thing out. So that it would be untraceable. I went to a printing place in LA, and I had them typeset it and print it. They printed several huge boxes of them. We had them printed in four really bright colors. And I printed thousands of these. Then I went to another place, and I had them print envelopes, because we were going to mail them out. Steve paid for it, and I just shipped this stuff up to him on PSA. You know, you used to be able to air freight. I’d go to PSA and ship all of them, twenty dollars or whatever to ship all of them up there by air freight.

Bob- What was the thinking behind doing this? It was just a goof or something?

Adam- The Altair was the popular computer at the time. So what we did was to screw with them. The Apple ll was coming out, and it had capabilities that nothing else had. One of the things on the Zaltair flier was a chart – it was pretty funny – and it had these totally meaningless benchmarks. It had all of the current competitors of Altair; Apple, Processor Technology, and Sphere, and whoever else we put on there. And it had benchmarks features like speed, numbers that were totally meaningless. Of course, everything for the Zaltari was like, 1.0 or whatever, and then all the others are like 0.5. But they didn't relate to anything. Anyway, that was pretty funny. One of the ones we did, we just put ‘Apple.’ It didn't say ‘Apple-1’ or ‘Applell‘ it was just ‘Apple.’ And, of course, for Apple, which was the Apple-1, we just put really low numbers. Because we knew the Apple ll was coming out, which was going to be way better than the Apple-1.

Anyway, we’d take stacks of these things and dump them on the literature table. All these companies had tables, and they’d put literature out. So we’d put stacks of these brochures out, and go by, see that the stack was gone, and we’d go and put out another pile. There were like fifteen thousand of these things. They had one or two of them up- It was a riot!- in the MITs booth, on the wall, and they’d written on them in black magic marker ‘FRAUD!’ It was pretty funny. Yeah, it was good.

View Copy of original Zaltair Brochure "CLICK"

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Randy Wigginton was Apple employee #6 and worked at Apple for 9 years. I was specially interested in this interview because Randy mentions his brother built some cases for the Apple-1 computer and I have been trying to find out who built the case for my Apple-1 - I still do not know for sure.

PG 69

Randy Wigginton

Bob- Your involvement with Apple from the beginning is one of those things that turned out to be a good happenstance, in your case.

Randy- Well think about it, I mean most everything is sort of happenstance. Really we don’t control much of our own fate.

Bob - How long did you work at Apple?

Randy- Basically up through 1985. For nine years or so.

Bob- Do you have good memories about the Apple-1 or the very early days?

Randy- Oh, God, there were so many. People always say they joined the company in the garage stage. Well, I joined in the couch stage. We weren't big enough for the garage yet. We were on the couch, you know. It eventually moved over to Jobs’ garage and building stuff there. My brother built some of the original cases for the Apple-1’s. Everything was very mom and pop. When the company became real, we rented office space.

Bob- The third founder, Ron Wayne, was there for a very short time. When you joined, was he already gone?

Randy- Well, I met him. But Apple was incorporated twice. They incorporated once in early ’76. Ron was never part of the second incorporation of Apple. He was still around, but he never really did that much. You know, I mean he drew some diagrams and wrote up some documentation, but that was kind of it.

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Read the book for 299 pages of  31 current interviews involving early  Apple history.

David Larsen

I enjoyed the second reading of Bob Luther's book and the interviews provided various views about the early days of Apple.

^{"by David Larsen"  KK4WW Computer Collector Historian}   
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Vintage Apple 1 Computer for Sale

Bugbooks

You can watch this auction live Saturday November 16th on  Youtube.com/AuctionTeamBreker 4 AM EST.  This link should also work for live Auction 'CLICK'




This Apple 1 is reported to have been exceptional well preserved by the present owner for the past thirty years and is in operational condition. This is a very nice historical package of artifacts including like new set of manuals, original white shipping container, cassette interface card and demo BASIC software on program cassette.  Also none Apple accessories to make the unit operation - keyboard, power transformers and display.

Literature suggest that only 3 other Apple 1 computers in comparable condition have been sold.
1. Auctioned by Sotheby's July 15, 2012 for $374,500.

2. Auctioned by Auction Team Breker November 24, 2012 $640,000.

3. Auctioned by Auction Team Breker May 25,2013 $671,000.

The following photos are from the AuctionTeam Breaker 127th Specialty Auction catalog of "Office Antiques-Science &  Technology- Fine Toys & Automata". You may enlarge the photos by clicking on the   photograph and more by a right click on the mouse and 'view image' .

A.T.B. 127th 11/16/13 Catalog

Photos of Apple 1 at this auction

The  Auction Team Breker (A. T. B.)
Catalog is a beautiful publication with
high quality photographs.









Here is Video of this Apple 1 Computer for sale 'CLICK'

Apple 1 at this auction

Photos & description Apple 1

A like on my Facebook page sure appreciated Like us Click  Thank You - Dave

Information about past auction sales
of Apple 1 computers ( this is in the
A.T.B. current catalog.






              Video about the May 25,2013 Apple 1 computer auction 'CLICK'

David Larsen

It will be very interesting to see if this excellent Apple 1 computer will bring a price near or more then past auction bids. Only 2 determined bidders are needed to bid the price to these or higher levels. Of course if those 2 or more bidders are participating  in the auction we will find out November 16, 2013 at 4AM EST the final $.

 ^{"by David Larsen"  KK4WW Computer Collector Historian}   
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"The First Apple" A fresh look at Apple 1 computer pioneers / collectors by Author, Bob Luther - His Book

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NEWS FLASH - Bob Luther is selling his "First Apple 1 Computer"  December 11,2014 at Christie's Auction.  
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"the first Apple" - Bob Luther's - fresh off the press - book is full of interesting and often intriguing interviews of some of the folks associated with the start up of the Apple Computer Company. Bob has reason to believe the Apple 1 computer he purchased at a Sheriff's Sale in 2004 is the first one sold by the Apple Company to a consumer.  He interviewed many techies, historians and collectors of Apple memorabilia to document his Apple 1 computer. This is a great story of his fortunate find and being the winning bidder.  I have found every interview he did in researching the material for his book held my interest - I read most of the book in one setting. I was fascinated to learn all the tidbits of information and sometime intrigue about the various eclectic folks associated  the Apple 1 computer as told in "the first Apple" book.  Send Message CLICK   Like us Click

           Bob Luther tells you in his own voice what inspired him to write his book "the first Apple"

Bob started collecting as a young teenager and before he had a drivers license he purchased 1962 Corvette. When he was able to drive he had 1963 Red Mercedes sedan. He read classified advertising over the years an became a skilled "Picker" of interesting and valuable / collectable stuff.  In 2004 Bob read a small classified advertisement in the Washington Post about a sheriff's sale of items seized from a wealthy dot com entrepreneur who had fled the US. The sheriff was selling a large quantity of very rare and collectable items. The sale was on a very cold Saturday and Bob braved the cold and purchased several rare items including the Apple 1 microcomputer - the Apple 1 eventually resulted  in his writing the  book "the first Apple".  I have read the book and it is a very interesting story about his computer and the interviews he did with collectors and pioneers associated with the Apple company and his Apple 1. 

Here is where you can get more information: I highly reccommend Bob's book as a great read for anyone interested in how the Apple 1 was a major player in the computer revolution.
www.thefirstapple.com
www.facebook/thefirstapple
Here is where you can buy your copy Amazon  Soft Cover book : here is ebook link A nice introduction to Bob Luther as author here.


 Update - Bob talks about shipping books for his Kickstarter program - 8-22-13

LR Bob Luther - David Larsen

 About 2 years ago I received a phone call from Sarah Hutton - a research intern at that time for Bob. She had many good questions for me as the owner of several Apple 1 Computers. About one year ago Bob came to Floyd, Virginia for a visit and to interview me about our Apple 1 experiences. I am delighted that the interview ended up in the  book as the former Christmas Tree Grower in Southwest Virginia.  

my favorite reading place

I have been associated with computers for more than 50 years and was totally engaged during the first 30 years of the microcomputer revolution while teaching at Virginia Tech.  I continue to this day as a serious collector and historian of microcomputer memorabilia. I have learned a host of new and interesting stories  from Bob's book - Anyone with an interest in computer history and specially about Apple 1 computers will find this book keeping them up at night well past regular bed time.
"By David Larsen" KK4WW Computer Collector Historian

Vintage Apple 1 Computer sells for over $600,000 at Breker auction 5-25-13

                                                                   Original »Apple 1 Computer«, 1976

This is the sensational 1st product of today's highest-valued company ever. This »Apple 1« set on offer here is 100 % authentic and in full working condition! Already a legendary milestone from the  dynamic dawn of the personal computer age! Sensational World Record Price by Auction Team Breker set on 25 May 2013: Euro 516.461,- / US$ 671,400.- (!) / £ 441,000.-

                                      The above from Breker web site.

Bob Luther

Bob Luther - Apple 1 owner and author of his new book "The First Apple" - he writes about  his and other Apple 1's. Bob was able to attended the Breker Auction  and had a great time.  Bob has done some very interesting research and interviews with the folks still living that started the Apple Computer Company and built the Apple 1 computers in Steve Jobs  parents home.

Ron Wayne

Bob traveled to California to interview Ron Wayne one of the original founders of the Apple Computer Company along with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.  Ron is 79 years old and most folks do not know he was part of the original Apple partnership.

 Interview by Bloomburg TV about Bob Luther's Apple 1 Computer. 

Bob has made arrangements for Ron to sign photos of his computer and a book plate.  You can get some of these original signatures of Ron Wayne by participating it the Kickstarter program to help publish Mr. Luther's book.

"Apple co-founder Ron Wayne has worked with me on his part of the story of the beginning of Apple and his time with Jobs. And he has designed the bookplate, to commemorate the moment of the birth of the original Apple partnership. I did have those printed and Ron has already signed some of them, along with some photos. He's 79 years old, so although he seems to be in fine health, I wanted to make sure that we could deliver on that part of the project, so his signatures are partially completed." Quote From Bob Luther on Kickstarter.

 "Sold - Antique Apple 1 Brings $671K" By Gregg Keizer at 'Computer World'

" Yet, Apple was not the first Personal Computer on the market. The seeds for its success had already been sown by other pioneering machines such as Nat Wadsworth’s 1973 "Scelbi-8H" (estimate Euro 15,000 – 20,000 / US$ 20,000 – 25,000). The "Scelbi" ticked all the boxes for commercial viability: it was built around the first Intel 8-Bit microprocessor (the so-called "CPU-on-a-chip"), within the budget of an average person, and available either assembled or in kit form. It was the first truly "Personal Computer"(!). Yet, it was a financial failure; only 200 units were produced, and only 3 (!!) have survived today !!!" This information about the Scelbi is from the
                                    The Specialists in »Technical Antiques & Fine Toys«

 I am happy to say we have one of the Scelbi microcomputers in our "Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum".

Here is opportunity to get one of first copies of Bob Luther's Apple 1 book and  original signature of Ron Wayne .   Go here Kickstarter

This is really exciting for me as an Apple 1 owner. After reviewing the information about Bob Luther's Apple 1 I realized I had been offered this computer years ago by the law firm working on settling some litigation by owner of the Apple 1. I still have the letters from the law firm but I did feel I could pay the price the law firm was asking.  I am sure happy to see this Apple 1 computer surface and that Bob Luther as the current owner.

 Please go to my Museum Page on Facebook and do a like for me.  Thank You for the help.


The weather here in Floyd Virginia has turned warm and sunny - just great. Our 3rd Annual Bluegrass Festival at Chantilly farm was really well attended last Saturday. It was fun working with all the musicians and our lead band ' Doyle Lawson and the Quicksilver's. It was real exciting to see his big bus roll into Chantilly Farm. Now I can return to some work with my 'Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum' 
"by David Larsen" KK4WW Computer Collector/Historian