Winner of 'Celebration' Apple-1 Auction Was Prepared to Pay $2 Million for 'Holy Grail of Computers'

[MacRumors]

After placing the winning $815,000 bid on the rare "Celebration" Apple-1 computer last week, Glenn Dellimore spoke with Business Insider about his reasons for purchasing the computer. Dellimore made the decision with his wife, Shannnon, and the two were not only prepared to pay up to $2 million for the piece of Apple history, but both see it only increasing in value over the years.

The Dellimores -- who founded the Hollywood skin care brand Glamglow, now owned by Estée Lauder -- think that in around 10 to 15 years, the Apple-1 sold by CharityBuzz "could be worth as much as a Monet or Picasso." The rarity of this particular Apple-1 is doubled by the fact that it started as a "blank original-run board," that was never meant to be sold to the public and was not from a production run, potentially making it one of the first Apple-1 computers ever made.

Shannon and Glenn Dellimore​

"When the auction was taking place, I realized we'd actually be in the air when it ended. Just as our wheels touched down, there were 30 seconds left in the auction and I was actually outbidded with 37 seconds left," Dellimore said. "I think the bid was $270,000 when I looked, and then it went up again, and I kept going bidding with someone else until it was $515,000. I said, 'you know what, I'm just going to put in a large number.'"

He said he might have bidded up to $2 million if he had been outbid again.

"Typically with things that are so valuable and so rare, there will be buyers in the world that are willing to pay whatever it takes," he said.

The current plan for the Apple-1 is for it to be displayed in a museum, and Glenn Dellimore hopes that the computer, which he refers to both as a "piece of history" and the "holy grail of computers," will be used to help educate younger people. Ultimately, Dellimore said that "the possibility of it being the number one, the very first prototype that Steve worked on, and with the way over time Apple has changed the world, this computer is the holy grail of computers, it is the most important computer on the planet, I think."

Article Link: Winner of 'Celebration' Apple-1 Auction Was Prepared to Pay $2 Million for 'Holy Grail of Computers'

 

[tigres]

He outbid me.

 

[daanodinot]

Would be a shame if it turned out there was one earlier prototype hehe.

 

[radiology]

Congrats for the sellers and buyers. A great cause is being helped. Plus, this couple is right on the potential value of this machine in years. No wonder they are so successful.

 

[jayducharme]

Would be a shame if it turned out there was one earlier prototype hehe.

There just might be. The person who might know would be Wozniak. I'm surprised he hasn't yet been interviewed about this purchase, and he's said relatively little beyond acknowledging that no blank boards were sold.

 

[nicho]

There just might be. The person who might know would be Wozniak. I'm surprised he hasn't yet been interviewed about this purchase, and he's said relatively little beyond acknowledging that no blank boards were sold.

i imagine the Dellimores' lawyers might have approached him already.

 

[maflynn]

Wow, I don't know. I guess on one hand, its cool to own such a nice piece of history, but on the other hand, that seems like a ludicrous amount of money.

 

[S.B.G]

The current plan for the Apple-1 is for it to be displayed in a museum, and Glenn Dellimore hopes that the computer, which he refers to both as a "piece of history" and the "holy grail of computers," will be used to help educate younger people. Ultimately, Dellimore said that "the possibility of it being the number one, the very first prototype that Steve worked on, and with the way over time Apple has changed the world, this computer is the holy grail of computers, it is the most important computer on the planet, I think."

I bet Woz never would have dreamed the early computers he was hand building back then would ever be so valuable and be sold at auction with ideas of spending up to $2 million for one.

 

[derbladerunner]

"When the auction was taking place, I realized we’d actually be in the air..."

Now here is finally someone who needs (and can pay for) inflight Internet service

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

The decline in the perceived value of Apple seems to extend to auctions of rare Apple memorabilia now. From $2M down to a paltry $815K. And the new owner thinks it will be a Monet or Picasso in 10 years? Not if Tim Cook has anything to say about it-- He's not finished ruining Apple yet.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Wow, I don't know. I guess on one hand, its cool to own such a nice piece of history, but on the other hand, that seems like a ludicrous amount of money.

That's more than ludicrous. Ludicrous P100D Model S is only $135K.

If I had the money he spent on that computer, I'd probably buy a house twice as large as what I live in now (outright - no mortgage), a P100D for me and my wife, and a vacation home in Hawaii or something.

 

[thisisnotmyname]

Wait, but he was out bid (by about $300-400k at $1.2MM) and that bid was retracted, so he wasn't really willing to go higher then was he?

 

[miknos]

That's more than ludicrous. Ludicrous P100D Model S is only $135K.

If I had the money he spent on that computer, I'd probably buy a house twice as large as what I live in now (outright - no mortgage), a P100D for me and my wife, and a vacation home in Hawaii or something.

But the buyers probably already have all that. All the things you mentioned (maybe apart from the house) will lose value. Buyers bought like it was a piece of art (something scarce).

An analogy would be if you bought that Tesla. For $135k I could buy a Corolla, a Harley, a week screwing ladyboys in Thailand, a penis pump and hire a personal trainer for my wife (anniversary sex is too much for me). The rest I could save for retirement.

 

[Waxhead138]

Would be a shame if it turned out there was one earlier prototype hehe.

Lol yeah. Little do we know that Woz is sitting on a few still in his garage, waiting for the right moment. Funny thing is he'd probably give them away rather than sell them at these prices.

 

[Sefstah]

Apple charging a premium for outdated hardware again. This is getting ridiculous!!

 

[jiggad369]

That's a whole lotta n's.

 

[RightMACatU]

Apple charging a premium for outdated hardware again. This is getting ridiculous!!

Hands down the winner of the best comment of August

 

[44267547]

Hands down the winner of the best comment of August

Agreed. That was funny.

 

[Analog Kid]

Wait, but he was out bid (by about $300-400k at $1.2MM) and that bid was retracted, so he wasn't really willing to go higher then was he?

Yeah, everything I just read says he's already starting the process of hyping it up to increase its value. It's "possibly" the first prototype, touched by Steve's hands (I'm assuming he means Jobs, because we know all of them were touched by Woz), that he would have easily paid more than twice as much for but didn't...

He's trying to put a little Glamglow on his new purchase, I'd say.

 

[Kajje]

Yeah, everything I just read says he's already starting the process of hyping it up to increase its value. It's "possibly" the first prototype, touched by Steve's hands (I'm assuming he means Jobs, because we know all of them were touched by Woz), that he would have easily paid more than twice as much for but didn't...

He's trying to put a little Glamglow on his new purchase, I'd say.

You know I think you're spot on with this comment!

If I had the very first prototype (which I don't)
I'd also offer 800G's (which I don't have)
Put the prototype on auction - it will fetch 2 mills
And finally get rid of this current model for a bargain 500G's.

The couple probably have far more ethics as I do. And far more money.
I'd be already happy if me and my friend mr. credit card survive the Watch/Macbook lineup update next month.

 

[parkkis]

Really want to see Woz interviewed with this prototype in Youtube

 

[BornAgainMac]

Woz should build new Apple II class machines again. I would buy an Apple II today even at current PC prices just to experience those days again.

 

[kdarling]

Lol yeah. Little do we know that Woz is sitting on a few still in his garage, waiting for the right moment. Funny thing is he'd probably give them away rather than sell them at these prices.

Ha. Like pumping out Picassos

This makes me wonder if anyone has tried to make a counterfeit Apple I and sell it yet?

The reward would certainly seem worth the (comparatively minor) effort.

--

As for future value, I think things like this will drop in the coming decades because they'll have much less meaning to future generations.

I'm already seeing this with slide rules, which for a while enjoyed quite a rise in price as us older guys started collecting them. Just a decade later, high prices are no longer the norm, and I don't see bidding wars on eBay as much.