A pink-and-green striped bow tie worn by the late Steve Jobs during the introduction of the Macintosh computer in 1984 has been sold at auction for $35,750. This sale took place at Julien's Auctions as part of their "Spotlight: History and Technology" event, where the bow tie received considerable attention, culminating in 27 bids.
Jobs, who is predominantly recognized for his black turtlenecks, donned the colorful bow tie during a significant annual shareholder meeting where he unveiled what would become one of Apple's most influential products. The tie was initially estimated to fetch between $1,000 and $2,000, making the final sale price notable.
In addition to its role in the Macintosh launch, the bow tie has been featured in several photo shoots related to the product's release. Jobs also wore it at the International Design Conference in Aspen the previous year, humorously mentioning that he donned the tie for the $60 fee he was paid.
The auction not only highlighted Jobs' bow tie but also included various other items from the tech industry, such as a hoodie belonging to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, which sold for $15,875, and a signed photograph of a SpaceX rocket launch by CEO Elon Musk, going for $10,400. This recent sale reflects ongoing interest in memorabilia associated with influential figures in technology, including previous auctions of Steve Jobs' personal items, such as his turtleneck and business cards, as well as early Apple products like the first-generation iPhone, which has commanded high prices in past auctions.