'James J. Scardino' Apple-1 computer

James bequeathed the computer to his grandson Daniel. James’s lovely daughter, granddaughter and grandson spoke with me many times and wrote to me about this computer and, more importantly, about its remarkable history.
We promised each other to stay in touch. James’s daughter asked me whether I would be interested in the computer. It had been her father’s wish, and it was the express wish of the family, that this computer should go to a museum or to an enthusiast who would truly appreciate this unique Apple-1.

Actually, the family wanted to keep the computer. After discussing it within the family for two months, they came to the decision that I could buy the computer if I wished to do so. Everyone quickly agreed on the price.
In February 2023, I acquired this Apple-1.

In February 2023, I flew to San Francisco. Here is the short version of two very interesting days in the Bay Area:
On the first day, I spent two hours at Stanford University, looked at the Apple collection and spoke with a professor for two hours about Apple’s early days.

Later that day, several hours were spent at Apple Park, walking some miles all around, both inside and outside. The highlights were the buildings themselves and the meetings with Arion Paylo and Chris Espinosa, Apple employee #8. We talked a great deal, and it was extraordinarily interesting and fascinating. Apple Park is a masterpiece of architecture and design, in every detail. I was allowed to take pictures outside.

The second day was dedicated to meeting Daniel Kottke again and, later, the wonderful family who owned one of the most interesting Apple-1 computers. Perhaps even the most interesting from a historical point of view: the Scardino Apple-1.

Steve Wozniak gave away his schematics and all the information needed to build this Apple-1. So far, no other Apple-1 built by a Homebrew Computer Club member has been found. This one was built by James Scardino, who spoke a great deal with Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs. James Scardino first met Woz at the Homebrew Computer Club. James’s best friend was Dick Sherman, who was more interested in the 6800 and founded the 6800 Club. James bought the original blank Apple-1 and ACI boards, as well as all four PROMs, from Steve Jobs. Woz told me that Steve Jobs had not told him about the sale.
Everything else was done at James’s home and on weekends in Steve Jobs’s parents’ garage. James liked to spend time there. This Apple-1 is hand-soldered, not wave-soldered, and for that reason it has no peeling or bubbles. It looks as if it came from a factory line, although not brand new. It is another wonderful example of people really using the Apple-1 to understand it and work with it. It was not treated like a museum object. James Scardino had very good soldering skills. Woz was genuinely impressed and wrote to me recently that he could not have soldered it so well.
This Apple-1 worked in 1976. During my second day, Daniel Kottke switched it on, and it worked instantly, more than 40 years after its last start.
I became the proud new owner of this historically important Apple-1 and took the Apple-1 and its large wooden case with me on the flight home. Thank you again, Lufthansa.

There is even more than just the Apple-1 and ACI: original manuals, more handwritten material, a hand-built wooden case in mahogany that looks a little like the Byte Shop cases, a keyboard and a transformer. It also includes documents that everyone believed were lost. These four documents are copies from 1976. More information about these documents will be published later.
I told Woz about them, and he was genuinely excited and asked whether he could have a copy.
On the same second day of my visit, Woz asked whether we could meet for dinner, and so we met: Woz, his wife, a man from the early computer days and me. Woz now has copies of the ‘lost’ documents, and he kindly signed the Scardino Apple-1. We talked a great deal. This was followed by several emails.

More information will follow someday.