The Apple-1 Registry

History

1976 Steve Jobs sold the blank Apple-1 mainboard and blank ACI to James J. Scardino. James met Woz and Jobs at the Homebrew Computer Club 1976. James best friend was Dick Sherman who was more into the 6800 and founded the 6800 club.
James had all the instructions and schematics from Woz and used his own components to build this unique Apple-1. He spend many weekends in Steve Jobs' parents' garage to work on it. In 1976 it was working. Including a handmade printer interface.
In February 2023 it was switched on for the first time by Daniel Kottke in Palo Alto and it worked instantly.

James bequeathed the computer to his son grandson Daniel. James lovely daughter, the granddaughter and the grandson talked many times and wrote to Achim Baqué about this computer and more important about the remarkable history of it.
In February 2023, Achim Baqué acquired this Apple-1. Achim met Steve Wozniak for dinner in San Jose to give him copies of previously lost documents. Woz had a look to this Apple-1 and signed the mainboard and the ACI.
James Scardino had really good soldering skills. Woz was really impressed and so he wrote to in an email next day that he could not have it soldered so good.

Components

Original blank Apple-1 mainboard and ACI board, original PROMs and the rest done in 1976 by first owner mostly on weekends in Steve Jobs' parents' garage.

Equipment

Original ACI (NTI). Homemade wooden case (Mahogany) with keyboard (M.E.G. 602109) and power supply. Original Preliminary Apple-1 Basic Users Manual, original white Apple-1 Operation Manual, original Apple-1 Cassette Interface Manual. Envelope with Steve Jobs' and Steve Wozniak's phone number. And 4 copies of unique documents (information about it will fallow someday). Handmade printer interface for the Apple-1.

State

Signed by Woz Feb 23. So far the only Apple-1 (except the prototype) that was not wave-soldered! No peeling or bubbles on the back.

Stories

In 2022 a family contacted the Apple-1 Registry. The (grand-)father of the 3 people passed away and he had an Apple-1.

As it turned out, it is the most unusual and, from a historical point of view, the most interesting (except for the prototypes, of course) original Apple-1. This Apple-1 was given as a bare board by Steve Jobs to Homebrew Computer Club member James J. Scardino. Woz gave James his instructions for building an Apple-1.

James best friend was Dick Sherman who was more into the 6800 and founded the 6800 club.

The history of this computer is phenomenal. James worked on it for some time and according to his daughter James spend many weeks in Steve Jobs’ parents’ garage. He liked Jobs and finally in 1976 the Apple-1 worked. The Scardino Apple-1 really looks like a homemade computer.

James heirs talked in 2022 a lot to Apple-1 Registry curator Achim Baqué. This Apple-1 was published in the Apple-1 Registry as #99 ‘James J. Scardino’.

It is so far the only existing Apple-1 (except the prototype) that was not wave-soldered! No peeling or bubbles on the back. Original Apple-1 mainboard, original ACI, original PROMs, original manuals were sold by Steve Jobs in 1976. Woz confirmed in February 2023 that Apple-1 had some boards that were blank. The owner built a printer interface for the Apple-1 in 1976. It is inside the wooden case.

We promised each other to stay in touch. The daughter of James asked Achim if he is interested in the computer. It was the wish of her father and the express wish of the family, that this computer should go to a museum or to an enthusiasts who would really appreciate this unique Apple-1.

Actually, the family wanted to keep the computer. After talking about it within the family for two months, they came to the decision that Achim could buy the computer if he wanted to. Everyone quickly agreed on the price.

In February Achim flew to San Francisco.

His short version of very interesting two days in the Bay Area:

On the first day I visited two hours the Stanford University, had a look to the Apple collection and talked two hours to a professor about early Apple days.

Later that day I visited several hours Apple Park and walked some miles all around inside and outside. Highlights were the buildings itself and the meeting with Arion Paylo and Chris Espinosa (Apple employee #8). We talked so much and it was so interesting and fascinating. Apple Park is a masterpiece of architecture and design. In every detail. I was allowed to make pictures outside.

Day two was to meet Daniel Kottke again and meet there later the wonderful family who owns one of the most interesting Apple-1. If not the most interesting from a historical point of view. The Scardino Apple-1.

Steve Wozniak gave away his schematics and all information to build this Apple-1. So far, no other Apple-1 built by a Homebrew Computer Club member has been found. And here we go, it was done by James Scardino who talked a lot to Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs. James Scardino met Woz for the first time at the Homebrew Computer club. Best friend of James was Dick Sherman who was more into the 6800 and founded the 6800 club. James bought from Steve Jobs the original BLANK Apple-1 and ACI boards and all four PROMs. Woz told me, that Steve Jobs didn’t tell him about the sale.Everything else was done at James’ home and on weekends in Steve Jobs’ parents’ garage. James liked to hang around there. This Apple-1 is hand-soldered (not wave-soldered) and for that reason it has zero peeling or bubbles! It looks like from a factory belt. But it looks not brand new. It is another wonderful example of people really using the Apple-1 to understand and work with an Apple-1. It was not used like a museums item. James Scardino had really good soldering skills. Woz was really impressed and so he wrote to me recently that he could not have it soldered so good. This Apple-1 worked in 1976. During my day two Daniel Kottke switched it on and it worked instantly 40+ years after the last start. I am the new proud owner of this historical important Apple-1 and I took this Apple-1 and the huge wooden case on my flight back home. Thank you again, Lufthansa.

There is even more than just the Apple-1 and ACI. Original manuals, more handwritten stuff, a hand-build wooden case (Mahogany) that looks a bit like the Byte Shop cases, keyboard and transformer. And some documents that everyone believed that they are gone. Those four documents are copies from 1976. More information about these docs will be published later. I told Woz about it and he was really excited and asked if he could have a copy. Same second day of my visit he asked if we could meet for dinner and so we met. Woz, his wife, a man from the early computer days and me. Woz has now the copies of the ‘lost’ documents and thankfully he signed the Scardino Apple-1. We talked a lot. Fallowed by some emails we exchanged.

More information will fallow someday.

Last update

Oct 11, 2024

Change log (since March 20, 2018)

Dec 03, 2022: Newly added to the Apple-1 Registry
Mar 01, 2023: 24 picture(s) added
Mar 01, 2023: Description. Story added
Sep 27, 2024: Description

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