APPLE-1 MICROCOMPUTER.


Apple-1 motherboard, with label "Apple Computer 1 / Palo Alto. Ca. Copyright 1976," with rhombic "NTI" logo below, includes printed circuit board with four rows A-D, and columns 1-18, MOS Technologies 6502 microprocessor, labeled MCS 6502 1576; keyboard interface and connector; 8K bytes RAM in 16-pin 4K memory chips; 3 "Big Blue" Sprague capacitors; firmware in PROMS (A1, A2); low-profile sockets on all integrated circuits; heatsink; expansion connector; cassette board connector; and original cassette interface, labeled "Apple 1 Cassette Interface Copyright 1976" with "NTI" lettered in triangle on component side, overall approximately 15 x 9 x 2½ inches.WITH: Apple II keyboard.Computer operational as of September 2018; a video of that operation is linked to the online description of this lot at http://www.bonhams.com/video/******/. It was examined and operated by Corey Cohen, Apple-1 expert. Mr. Cohen notes the Apple-1 is currently in 6.0 (out of 10) condition. Request condition report for further information.Provenance: From the family of a former Apple Computer, Inc. employee.APPLE-1 COMPUTER IN WORKING CONDITION.The Apple-1 computer is the first pre-assembled personal computer to come to market, heralding the dawn of the personal computer revolution. Steve Wozniak, in his autobiography, recounts: "I didn't realize it at the time, but that day, Sunday, June 29, 1975, was pivotal. It was the first time in history anyone had typed a character on a keyboard and seen it show up on their own computer's screen right in front of them" (p 166).The story of its production and sale has become one of the most potent legends in 20th century history. "People who saw my computer could take one look at it and see the future. And it was a one-way door. Once you went through it, you could never go back" (Wozniak p 168).Wozniak and Steve Jobs demonstrated the breakthrough design at the Homebrew Computer Club in Palo Alto. The next day, the ever enterprising Jobs obtained an order from Byte Shop owner Paul Terrell for 50 assembled boards to be delivered in 30 days at $500 apiece. Jobs scrambled to come up with the $15,000 of parts needed and enlisted friends and family in the assembly process. Approximately 200 units were eventually made, but this is thought to be one of the first batch of 50 with the PCB manufacturer unidentified on the front copper layer of the board. It also bears the inked number "01-0044" on the reverse, of unknown significance, though generally considered to be a Byte Shop inventory number. Only approximately 76 surviving authentic Apple-1's are listed in the Apple 1 Registry as of January 2019. Although the first Byte Shop order sold extremely well (at a retail price of $666.66), there were at least some remainders from the additional 150 and also many Apple-1s were eventually traded in for Apple ][s, many of which are thought to have been destroyed by Jobs.The present example is from the second batch of boards printed by NTI soon after the first. Despite being printed in greater numbers, the NTI boards are less likely encountered on the market than the first batch. Apple-1 expert Corey Cohen has postulated that more NTI boards were traded to Apple for the Apple II and later ordered destroyed by Steve Jobs.Wozniak, Steve & Gina Smith. iWoz. NY: 2006; Isaacson, Walter. Steve Jobs. NY: 2011.
|"EVERY COMPUTER BEFORE THE APPLE I HAD THAT FRONT PANEL OF SWITCHES AND LIGHTS. EVERY COMPUTER SINCE HAS HAD A KEYBOARD AND A SCREEN. THAT'S HOW HUGE MY IDEA TURNED OUT" —STEVE WOZNIAK