Early 1977 Apple II rev.0 system

Thanks guys, I am indeed thrilled to have this machine. It really is a time-capsule find inside and out...I bought it from the son of the original owner who said he couldn't remember it being used all that much, and the overall condition certainly supports that. The inner wall of the case has a stamp indicating "July 6 1977" so that's either the assembly date for the complete system or just the case. I'll look for later dates on other components. Note the "16K 4K 4K" memory select blocks...this system was ordered with 24K that surely was a whopping configuration that early on.

There are relatively few online images of Apple II systems with early silkscreened logo power supplies and cases without ventilation slots, so maybe these photos reveal details that folks are curious about. (For example, I didn't realize that the earliest power supplies had simple handwritten serial number stickers.)

In addition to the computer itself, I received a nice selection of documentation including the original direct-from-Apple sales receipt (check out the price in 1977 dollars!), and among the accessories and disks a pair of very early paddles. These were a big surprise, as they look to be the ones shown in the original advertisements, but I always thought they were just mockups that were replaced with the familiar square paddles with big round spinners when the systems actually shipped. Has anyone else seen these before?

Here are some more photos...enjoy! -Howie

Here are a couple more photos. Among the paperwork and disks that came with this system were a few data cassettes. I believe these are original tapes from Apple that either came with the computer or were available for early users to purchase, and it's interesting how simple the labeling was on these...reminiscent of Apple's homebrew roots before attention was placed on packaging for mass market brand awareness. Certainly a far cry from the slick appearance of Apple accessories today. I also really like the extra sticker on the Applesoft BASIC tape...it looks like it was stuck on there as an afterthought to make sure proper credit was given to someone's little startup company that was helping Apple out. Those days are long gone.

I wonder if the "red" print label was from actually from Apple. I'm thinking of doing a "label" run at some point of Apple Labels from before the Apple II was released, if the "red" was is "real" Apple, that must be it.

Yes, that's one reason I wanted to share these photos: I've never seen official Apple II tapes with such simple labels. But again it may just be that these really are super early examples before Apple gave more attention to brand appearance. Much in the same way that the very first Apple II "Mini-Manual" was not much more than photocopied (mimeographed?) sheets of notes held in a report binder from the local stationary store. I can imagine these tapes, with their homemade appearance, being dropped in the box with each early motherboard or system as well.

If anyone has seen these tapes before, I'd appreciate confirmation of their authenticity.

Howie

It's so great to get insights from folks who were actually there when all this was happening...

My recollection is that the Apple II serial numbers did not start at 0 and have heard 100 suggested as a starting point but I also had understood that the first Apple II's were delivered in May and I don't think there were 100 shipped by early July. Perhaps the start was 50 but in any case this is an early example. you should try to find out more about the Serial Numbers.

I believe the comment about Apple II serial numbers starting at 100 is attributed to Dan Kottke, but I don't know the context in which he recollected that (or whether he really did say that...I found it on the 'net). However, it is clear that completed systems with case/PSU/keyboard started with A2S1-0001 as evidenced by this link showing Jef Raskin's machine (a fascinating read, by the way):

http://www.swtpc.com/mholley/Apple/allied_computer.htm

I think it may be that the Apple II motherboards themselves started at 100, or more precisely 1-100, based on this thread by the owner of 1-129:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=954360

The items that came with the computer were probably the Breakout and Startrek 16K tapes, Applesoft was in early development at that time and would not have been routinely shipped. The only original documentation is probably the book with the red apple on the front. The Red Book and the Blue library book were not out yet. The red labels were the original labels, the cassettes were made by using a string of about half dozen Panasonic Recorders connected to an Apple II. Mass production of tapes started in about October of 1977.

Thanks for those insights about the cassettes. Again it's quite a leap from those simple labels to the highly polished aesthetics of Apple products today.

That is a very valuable system and if you can get any more history from the owner it could increase the value. Do some research before you considering selling it.

I believe the late owner was involved with a highly successful computer company in the 70s. His address was in Palo Alto, so he certainly was in the right place to know what was happening with Apple. The information I got was from his son, who recalled his father didn't use the machine much. This was a substantial investment (something like $7K+ today) so for an early adopter to make a purchase like that and not use it (and yet not return it) leads me to think he just wanted to have one, had the financial means to do so, and recognized it was something special.

I certainly recognize it as a special system, too, and don't plan on selling it anytime soon.

Howie