What you need to know
- An auction includes a range of items from throughout computing history.
- Among the items up for auction are two mice owned by Douglas Engelbart, the inventor of the mouse.
- An unissued Microsoft stock certificate is also available through the auction.
RR Auction has several pieces from computing history available to bid on. The collection includes two mice owned by Douglas Engelbart, who invented the computer mouse, as well as an unissued Microsoft stock certificate. Bidding opened up this week on February 17, 2022 and runs through March 17, 2022.
Quite a few of the items are rare and connected to pioneers in the computing industry, such as Engelbart, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Allan Alcorn.
Two early mice are available through the auction, both of which were given to Bill Daul by Engelbart. The mice provide an interesting perspective regarding how interfacing technology has evolved over the years. While the mechanisms inside the devices differ from modern equivalents, the overall design and function of the original mice aren't that different from the best gaming mice today.
Those looking to hang something on their wall can check out the unissued piece of Microsoft stock from 1990. You can't use the stock, since it was never officially issued, but it does show signatures from Bill Gates and former Microsoft President Jon Shirley.
If you're more of a gamer, you can check out the original prototype for Atari 'Home Pong,' the Atari Space Race original prototype, or several other gaming items. Many of the gaming-related collectibles are connected to Alcorn, who created Pong.
Apple enthusiasts have quite a few items to choose from in the auction. There's a check signed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, an Apple-1 photograph signed by Wozniak, and Steve Jobs' signed job application to Atari.
