Apple memorabilia auction features Steve Jobs’ science project

A remarkable auction is underway, featuring an impressive assortment of Apple memorabilia, including a sealed first-generation iPhone, a prototype iPod, and an 8th-grade science fair project by Steve Jobs.

The Apple 50th Anniversary Auction Part Two is currently active on RR Auction, showcasing 212 items primarily from the storied history of the tech titan. This auction commemorates the 50th anniversary since Jobs and Steve Wozniak launched Apple from Jobs’ California home. It offers a fascinating glimpse into the early versions of devices that have since become staples in American households.

One notable item is the “Stealth iPod,” a development prototype that allowed engineers to refine the hardware and software of the iPod while keeping the gadget’s design under wraps during its clandestine development. This prototype is significantly larger than the final production model, measuring 8.5 x 12 x 2.5 inches.

The auction also features a wealth of historical documents and memorabilia from Apple’s early days. This includes original bank statements from the year of its founding, a 1976 check made out by Jobs to a circuit board manufacturer, and several signs and displays showcasing the iconic rainbow Apple logo.

Noteworthy items come from John Chovanec, Steve Jobs’ stepbrother. Chovanec’s mother, Marylin, married Jobs’ father, Paul, in 1990, five years after Jobs was removed from Apple. Chovanec revealed to RR Auction that while Paul kept a treasure trove of memorabilia from Jobs’ life and career, Steve showed little interest in maintaining these items after his death in 1993. Jobs permitted Chovanec to take them instead.

“I repeatedly mentioned the school project display to him, emphasizing that my mom truly wished for him to have it,” Chovanec remarked. “Steve would tell me to leave it where it was [at the family’s California home]. I conveyed to him that my mom was adamant about it, causing her stress, so if he wasn’t interested, I would take it home. This marked the first time I had a serious discussion with Steve, and I received an intense look from him. He retorted, ‘Fine, but I don’t want to hear about it again.’

As a result, Chovanec retained Jobs’ 8th-grade science project on silicon-controlled rectifiers and has now included it for sale alongside various other items from the tech visionary’s life. This collection features a note Jobs penned to his father on a NeXT business card (his venture after Apple), a 1984 Macintosh computer, a 1979 Apple II computer, and a rainbow Apple logo suncatcher.

Credit: RR Auction

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This marks the second Apple anniversary auction hosted by RR Auction this year, following the first event in January, which featured 142 items. The standout of that auction was an Apple-1 computer prototype board that fetched an impressive $2.75 million. Released in 1976, the Apple-1 was the company’s inaugural product, at a time when it was still known as the Apple Computer Company.

In a similar vein, the highlight of the current auction is a fully operational Apple-1 computer from the second production batch ever created. RR Auction’s listing mentions that the accompanying manual includes the name “Steven Jobs” written in pencil next to the Apple Computer Company’s mailing address, likely as a note for whom to contact at Apple. This particular Apple-1 is one of only 50 computers made in this run and comes complete with original documentation, all necessary components and accessories, and is housed in a modified Smith Corona typewriter case.

As of the latest update, the highest bid for the Apple-1 stands at $225,500, making it the top bid in the current auction, surpassing Steve Jobs’ signed business card by over $100,000. It’s anticipated that both items will attract even higher bids as the auction nears its conclusion. The Apple auction commenced on July 24, with bidding set to close on Thursday, August 20, at 7:30 p.m. EDT / 4:30 p.m. PDT.

Credit: Mashable composite: RR Auction

While the auction predominantly highlights items related to Jobs and Apple, it also features a selection of artifacts from other companies. Among these are displays from Twitter’s offices, dating back to a time before Elon Musk’s acquisition and the subsequent rebranding to X. a prototype Atari gaming console and a flag from Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, Washington, are also available.