Matchbook no matches - IBM
YEAR: 1957
ITEM: Paraphernalia
COMPANY: IBM
COUNTRY: USA
IN OUR COLLECTION: Yes
This plain beige matchbook cover is overlaid with the dark brown logo "IBM" repeatedly on the front and back. (In the interest of honesty, I am somewhat colorblind so if you see a different color...you're probably right.) We are just guessing about the date, it could have been as early as 1956. This particular logo was used by IBM between 1956 and 1972. 1
Programmers were notorious smokers...in the 1950's almost 1/2 the adult population in the USA were smokers.2 So it wouldn't be surprising to see an ashtray and book of matches next to most computers of that time. In fact, the famous "Sage Weapons Director" which was used to locate and, hopefully, intercept missile attacks, had a built-in ashtray and lighter right next to the screen.
1https://www.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/logo/logo_7.html2https://news.gallup.com/poll/109048/us-smoking-rate-still-coming-down.aspx
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Documents
Documents for this item have not yet been scanned or not yet posted. There are a lot of pages...contact us if you have an immediate need. (Although there are not a lot of "immediate needs" for a 70+ year old computer!)
OUR DEFINITIONS OF RARITY
One of a Kind: Only known existing item.
Exceedingly Rare: Only 2 to 10 known to exist.
Very Rare: Only 11 to 25 are known to exist.
Rare: Only 26 to 50 are known to exist.
Difficult: Difficult to find.
Available:Can be commonly be purchased.
Unknown: We cannot make a determination.
(For comparison: Many people consider the Apple-1 computer to be rare. As of 2025 there are 92 confirmed and probable Apple-1 computers.)
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