KENBAK CORPORATION, 1971

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

LCM Collection.

Please note that all property in this sale is currently located in Seattle and will ship from Seattle, and that the total purchase price will be subject to the applicable state sales tax. All post-sale matters for the online sale (inclusive of invoicing and property pickup/shipment) will be handled by Christie's. Please contact GenOne@christies.com for more information.

This lot is subject to additional disclaimers. Please carefully review Section E(2), subsection (h) “Vintage Computers and Machines”.