Apple memorabilia, including rare and signed artifacts from the company’s humble beginnings, sold for six figures Friday during an online auction that featured two dozen items dating back to the mid-1970s.
Handwritten schematics and instructions Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak made for one of the company’s first computers, a prototype of the Apple II, sold for $630,272, RR Actions of Boston announced afterward.
A fully operational Apple-1, the first desktop computer the future Silicon Valley company produced, separately fetched a staggering but not unprecedented $736,862. Others have previously sold for even more.
Other items auctioned include a computer keyboard signed by Mr. Wozniak and late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs ($74,535), and an early computer mouse designed by its inventor, Douglas Engelbart ($34,478.75)
“The market for Steve Jobs and Apple-related memorabilia continues to perform exceedingly well,” noted Bobby Livingston, RR Auction’s executive vice president.
The 23 pages of various documents written by Mr. Wozniak, 70, were sold accompanied by a signed letter of provenance in which the “Woz” vouched for their authenticity and offered insight about their origin.
“These documents, circa 1975, are my original Apple II prototype schematics and programming instructions,” explained Mr. Wozniak, according to the auction house. “They are precious.”
“Steve Wozniak’s historic schematics and notes truly represent the genesis of mainstream personal computing that changed how the world forever works, plays, and communicates,” Mr. Livingston added.
The auction house said the documents were purchased by a private bidder and that Rally, a company that allows customers to invest in rare items, bought the fully functional early Apple computer.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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