Paul G. Allen’s museum artifacts to be put up for auction

Paul Allen’s Seattle museum artifacts set for auction after closure

Paul G. Allen’s artifacts from closed Living Computer Museum are up for auction by Christie's, including key artifacts from space exploration, computing, and science.

SEATTLE - Christie's and the estate of Paul G. Allen have announced that key artifacts from Allen's collection in the now closed Living Computer Museum + Labs in Seattle will be put up for auction.

The Seattle museum had been closed since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and never re-opened. It was announced earlier this year that items from the museum would be put up for auction.

The announcement upset local fans, supporters, and previous donors who had given artifacts to the museum throughout the years. Many were hoping the artifacts would stay in the region.

The museum's artifacts going up for auction will belong to the ‘Firsts: The History of Computing from the Paul G. Allen Collection’, one of three collections up for sale. Each sale represents one of Allen's passions; computing, science, and space exploration.

The entire collection is named the Gen One: Innovations from the Paul G. Allen Collection. Over 150 items of "scientific and historical importance" will be up for sale, with all proceeds going to philanthropic causes, under the wishes of the late Allen.

Some of the featured items include Albert Einstein's 1939 letter informing President Franklin Delano Roosevelt that the Germans had discovered a fissionable form of uranium that could create a nuclear weapon, Steve Jobs' Apple 1 computer, and a gemini spacesuit that belonged to Ed White, the first man to spacewalk.

Two of the auctions will be held online with bidding running from August 23 to September 12. The third sale will be held live in New York.

Here are a few of the featured items for each exhibit:

The history of computing from the Paul G. Allen collection

This collection highlights the milestones in the history of computing, with key artifacts like the CDC-6500 supercomputer and A Cray -2 Super Computer. Many of these artifacts are still currently in Seattle for qualified bidders to see.

A Compaq Portable 286 used by Paul Allen - Estimated value of $30,000 – $50,000
A group of early Microsoft memos, circa 1978 - Estimated value of $1,000 – $1,500
A Cray 2 Super Computer - Estimated value of $250,000 – $350,000

Pushing boundaries: Ingenuity from the Paul G. Allen collection

The story of science and technology from pre-history to the present day is told throughout this collection. This sale is led by Einstein's letter to President Roosevelt, and the spacesuit worn by Ed White, the first man to spacewalk.

Steve Jobs' APPLE-1 personal computer - Estimated value of $500,000 – $800,000
Einstien's letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt - Estimated value of $4,000,000 – $6,000,000
Spacesuit worn by astronaut Edward White - Estimated value of $80,000 – $120,000

Over the horizon: Art of the future from the Paul G. Allen collection

Allen was a significant collector of space exploration artifacts. This collection features artifacts like "Saturn as seen from Titan" by a famous painter, Chesley Bonestell, and a three-piece scale model of the Gemini spacecraft that was designed to take two astronauts to space.

"Saturn as seen from Titan" by Chesley Bonestell (1888–1986) - Estimated Value of $30,000 – $50,000
Three-piece scale model of the gemini capsule - Estimated value of $8,000 – $12,000
A Saturn 1-B Rocket Model - Estimated value of $6,000 – $8,000

A full list of items is available on Christie's website.