Autograph Tom Watson Jr. IBM
YEAR: 1970
ITEM: Other
COMPANY: IBM
COUNTRY: USA
IN OUR COLLECTION: Yes
IBM's famous motto was THINK. As part of that philosophy IBM had an internal "suggestion box". This item is a folder entitled, "IBM SUGGESTION AWARD" and is dated June 1, 1970. The award is given to R. Rahm. The back of the folder states, "In acknowledgment of an award for an adopted suggestion which has provided for the improvement of IBM products, operations, or services." Below that statement is the signature of T. Vincent Learson, President of IBM and Tom Watson Jr, Chairman of the Board of IBM.
Stapled to the inside is (appropriately enough) an IBM punchcard. with the employees name and location (23-087-CAM) and that it was suggestion number Z49372. Looks like IBM got a lot of suggestions.
However, the punch card was stapled backwards which means you have to bend the card away from the folder to read the front (there is nothing printed on the back of the card). Perhaps someone in the Suggestion Department (yes, there really was one) should have taken the motto to heart and thought before stapling.
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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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