IISSSUUEE 338855 |COMPUTER SHOPPER|MMAARRCCHH (^22002200111111111111)
ssssaayyyyssSSeellllamAAbbrahham, whhoused toggggobyyyythe
surnameIsmail. And he should know,because
in the mid-1980s, his teenage self had already
begun collecting computers, telling his mother
that theywould one daybecherished and
formthe basis of amuseum.
HISTORY CHANNELLED
“It just became an addiction. I’d tell my mum
that Ithought these things would be
important forfuture historians when Ihad
mmmmyyyycloset filledwith old computers –thee
big clunkythings. She would ask me to see
themand Isaid, ‘no,no, they’re going to
important one day’.Ididn’t really believe
myself,but Ijust wanted to get her offmm
back,”heexplains.
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difference is that retro collectors are now 10
apenny,which has been driving up prices at
car boot sales, charity shops and online
marketplaces such as eBay. Back then, people
were practically giving computers away.
“I was at acar boot sale in 1993 when I
sawsomeone selling all of the computers
that Iusedtoplaywithinthose department
stores,”Abrahamrecalls.
“I had to walk around the corner and
compose myself because Ididn’t want to
acqqqquiire thhem.””””
He went back to that seller with astraight
face and expressed his interest.
“He asked which ones Iwanted and Isaid I
wanted themall,”Abrahamlaughs.
“Wethen worked out adealofabout
fivebucks apiece which, for23computers
fromAtari, Commodore and Te xas
Instruments, worked out at $100. Ibrought
themall home,cleaned themup and tested
themout. Ithen packed themall awayin
anti-static packaging and stored them
yylike atime capsule.”
EASY PICKINGS
Living in Silicon Valley, wherehewould
later gain employment as aprogrammer,
Abrahamfounditeasy to come across
t r r
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ese
ell
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it
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RETRO
“Most of the stuff back then was
considdereddjunkkanddobbsolletevery quickklly,””
saysSell Ab h h
fascination drove himjust as it does with
vintagecomputerenthhusiaststodday Thhemain
tip off the seller that Iwas so excited to
i hh
“MOSTOFTHESTUFFBACKTHEN
WASCONSIDEREDJUNKAND
OBSOLETEVERYQUICKLY”
ho sa ds of opes arsgm
..thE ra-e s ial n d p
la filsi in e xio
⬇Sellam Abraham’s first computer
was aMattelAquarius, which was
launched in 1983