Now here’s one for the record books – a special one-of-a-kind Product (RED) Mac Pro, created jointly by Jony Ive and Marc Newson, sold at Sotheby’s on Saturday for $977,000! The upper six figure bid makes the (RED) Mac Pro the most expensive desktop computer ever built or sold.
The auction was held by Sotheby’s to benefit The Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Pre-auction estimates for unique red Mac Pro were between $40-60,000. At nearly $1 million this price tops by nearly half that of the previous auction record holder, an Apple 1 at $671,000. Apple’s newest product takes the crown from its oldest.
In addition to the tower of power, the auction also sold other items designed by Ive and Newson including a pair of Rose Gold Apple Earpods for $461,000 (estimate $25,000), a custom Leica Digital Camera for $1,805,000 (estimate $750,000), and The (RED) Desk for $1,685,000 (estimate $500,000).
As a group, the products auctioned off at the special event raised nearly $13 million for the fund. The Global Fund and Product (RED) are both spearheaded by U2 lead singer Bono. Since 2006, Apple has donated over $65 million to the cause.
Kinda makes the $2999 entry level price for a new black Mac Pro seem a downright bargain!
