Apple 1 computer among intriguing technological artifacts up for auction

 

According to Bonhams, around 200 of the Apple 1 computers were built and were the first pre-assembled personal computers to hit the market

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We have previously argued here at Gizmag that the rate of technological advancement, which often banishes early iterations of a product to the realms of obsolescence, has obscured the true worth of some of our landmark innovations. As such, sales like the upcoming History of Science auction at Bonhams New York could provide fine opportunities for medium-term investments in rare collectibles, like a 1976 Apple 1 motherboard.

According to Bonhams, around 200 Apple 1 computers were built and were the first pre-assembled personal computers to hit the market. This particular model is believed to be part of a first batch of 50 and was sold for US$666.66 at the time. It is said to be in working order and, complete with vintage keyboard, Sanyo monitor and owner's manual, is expected to attract bids between US$300,000 and $500,000.

Equally intriguing is the Helmholtz Sound Synthesizer, claimed to be the world's first electric keyboard. Built by Max Kohl in 1905, this brass sound synthesizer sits atop a mahogany base and features 11 small wooden platforms fitted with tuning forks, all connected by wire filaments. These filaments are wired to an African ivory keyboard, the keys of which are numbered and labelled with tones. The synthesizer has an estimated value $20,000 to $30,000.

Also on offer will be a range of scientific documents, as fascinating as they are historically significant. A collection of paintings, sketches and manuscripts created by French physician Antoine-Pierre-Ernest Bazin between 1836 and 1842 explores the anatomy of the respiratory system and has an estimated worth of $10,000 to $15,000. William Withering's An Account of the Foxglove, and Some of its Medical Uses, first published in 1785, documents the physician's discovery of digitalis and its efficacy in treating heart disease across decades of observations and clinical trials.

There are also a handful of antique globes, reflecting telescopes, a handwritten letter from Charles Darwin and a viewing window from the Manhattan Project, through which onlookers would observe the production of plutonium for the Fat Man atomic bomb.

You can click through to the gallery too see our picks from the collection.

Source: Bonhams

post originated from www.gizmag.com

1937 Delahaye Roadster sets new auction record for Amelia Island

 

Last month's auction at Amelia Island, Florida, certainly turned up its fair share of eye-catching automobiles

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Around a dozen times a year, RM Auctions draws classic car enthusiasts from around the globe to examine, gawk at and bid for rare automotive gems. Last month's auction at Amelia Island, Florida, certainly turned up its fair share of stunning vehicles, with over US$35 million splashed on 91 cars and motorcycles spanning almost a century of production. Join Gizmag as we cast our eye over some of the highlights from the sale.

Notable sales from the March 8 auction included a still running 1901 De Dion-Bouton that fetched $115,500, while a 1986 Lamborghini Countach 5000 Quattrovalvole, one of only 13 carbureted examples imported to the US, went for $319,000. The value of these cars pales in comparison to the $6.6 million paid for a 1937 Delahaye 135 Competition Court Torpedo Roadster – a record price for the Amelia Island weekend.

But the collection wasn't just limited to cars built for the open road. A 1928 Bugatti Type 37A Grand Prix went for $962,500, while a 1914 Indian Hendee Special, believed to be the first motorcycle equipped with an electric starter, was sold for $126,500.

All of the vehicles embody accomplished craftsmanship, either through recent restorations or engineering that was ahead of its time. But don't take our word for it, click through to the gallery of our picks from the event to see the vehicles for yourself.

Source: RM Auctions

About the Author

Nick was born outside of Melbourne, Australia, with a general curiosity that has drawn him to some distant (and very cold) places. Somewhere between enduring a winter in the Canadian Rockies and trekking through Chilean Patagonia, he graduated from university and pursued a career in journalism. He now writes for Gizmag, excited by tech and all forms of innovation, Melbourne's bizarre weather and curried egg sandwiches.