Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 22-05-2017
The first computer produced by Steve Jobs more than 40 years ago, the Apple-1 has sold for less than expected at an auction in Germany.
One of only eight working models in the world, the machine fetched €110 000 (R 1.6 million), well below the expected €180 000 to €300 000 (R 2.6 million to R 4.4 million).
Uwe Breker, who oversaw the auction in Cologne told AFP that a spike in prices after Jobs’ 2011 death is definitely over.
“From our point of view we are back at normal levels. Five years after the death of (Apple co-founder) Steve Jobs the ‘hype’ has settled back.”
Breker’s auction house, which specialises in the sale of technical antiques, had also been involved in a 2013 sale of another Apple-I – which fetched €516 000 (R 7.6 million).
The original owner of the rare Apple-1 John J. Dryden who bought the Apple in 1976 says the computer still had its receipt, its operating manual and other documents.
“(The Apple-1) was one of the first opportunities for someone to possess a real computer. I’d been working with computers for a while but they were huge.”
Dryden an engineer admitted that parting with the machine was a wrench, but said the time had come as he had not used it in a long time.
The computer was one of around 200 Apple-1 units marketed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, who developed and built it.
Saturday’s buyer was a German engineer who collects old computers.
– AFP
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