A KENBAK-1 DIGITAL COMPUTER - photo 1
A KENBAK-1 DIGITAL COMPUTER - photo 2
A KENBAK-1 DIGITAL COMPUTER - photo 3
A KENBAK-1 DIGITAL COMPUTER - photo 4

A KENBAK-1 DIGITAL COMPUTER

Lot 121
12.09.2024 16:00UTC -05:00
Classic
Sold
$ 119 700
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUSA, New York
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 1291161
Lot 121 | A KENBAK-1 DIGITAL COMPUTER
Estimate value
$ 20 000 – 30 000
Serial no. 0212
Consisting of Kenbak-1 personal computer and cable

The first commercially available personal computer.

The Kenbak-1, first advertised at $750 in September1971 by John Blankenbaker, is widely regarded as one of the world's first personal computers. It was a simple and affordable machine designed for educational purposes, featuring a 256-byte memory and 1 MHz speed, using toggle switches for programming.
John Blankenbaker's vision for the Kenbak-1 began in the late 1950s while he was working at Hughes Aircraft Company, where he first conceived the idea of a low-cost, programmable computer. It wasn’t until 1970, after becoming unemployed, that Blankenbaker seriously pursued this idea. His goal was to create a computer that was inexpensive, educational, and capable of demonstrating fundamental programming concepts.

The Kenbak-1 was characterized by its minimalist design, featuring switches and lights for input and output, which helped keep costs down. The inventor’s surname was considered too long to be marketable, so a subset of letters was settled upon – Kenbak. Of the 44 initially sold, only 14 are thought to survive.

41/4 in. (10.8 cm) high, 191/4 in. (48.9 cm.) wide, 11 in. (28 cm.) deep
Place of origin:USA
Auction house category:Instruments
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
20 Rockefeller Plaza
10020 New York
USA
Preview
23.08.2024 – 12.09.2024
Phone +1 212 636 2000
Fax +1 212 636 4930
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
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