A KENBAK-1 DIGITAL COMPUTER

Lot 121
12.09.2024 16:00UTC -04:00
Classic
Vendu
$ 119 700
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Lieu de l'événementEtats-Unis, New York
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Archive
ID 1291161
Lot 121 | A KENBAK-1 DIGITAL COMPUTER
Valeur estimée
$ 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
Adresse de l'enchère CHRISTIE'S
20 Rockefeller Plaza
10020 New York
Etats-Unis
Aperçu
23.08.2024 – 12.09.2024
Téléphone +1 212 636 2000
Fax +1 212 636 4930
E-mail
Conditions d'utilisationConditions d'utilisation
transport Service postal
Service de messagerie
ramassage par vous-même
Modes de paiement Virement bancaire
Heures d'ouvertureHeures d'ouverture
Lu 09:30 – 17:00   
Ma 09:30 – 17:00   
Me 09:30 – 17:00   
Je 09:30 – 17:00   
Ve 09:30 – 17:00   
Sa fermé
Di fermé

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