Think you got enough Apple stuff? Cult of Mac’s resident vintage expert Adam Rosen has collected so many Apple products over the last three decades, he converted part of his house into a museum to showcase them all.
Assembling your own collection of Mac gear isn’t easy, but the Vintage Mac Museum in the Boston area has managed to get its hands on some really neat — and odd — items, like a cutaway Mac Plus, a rare black Mac and more Apple memorabilia than any sane person should own.
Here’s a look at an incredible assortment of Apple products at the Vintage Mac Museum. Plus, find out what Adam thinks you should keep or toss.
Inside the Vintage Mac Museum
“Apple made a lot of Macs,” Rosen says on the Vintage Mac Museum’s website. “For most systems, sentimental values tend to be higher than resale prices. Truly rare items and prototypes can command hundreds to thousands of dollars.”
PowerBooks and Picasso
The rare items wall, including a clear-sided Mac Plus, old PowerBooks, and a Macintosh Picasso dealer sign. Famous Mac switcher Ellen Feiss gazes down from above.
Mac Plus Cutaway
Here’s a Mac Plus where the back and one side have been replaced with plexiglass to show off a hard drive upgrade. This is like a working “cutaway drawing” of the Macintosh.
Apple TV (Black Mac)
A rare black Mac, combining a color Mac with a TV tuner and video input. This is a good example of a market dud that makes a desirable collectible. A LaserWriter IINT lurks below.
Macintosh Portable (aka “Luggable”)
The Macintosh Portable, the first roadworthy Mac, was also known as the “Mac Luggable.” It weighed in at 15 pounds, with included lead-acid battery. And you thought your laptop was heavy!
Apple Lisa
The Apple Lisa computer predated the Macintosh and introduced the world to the GUI. The Newton MessagePad predated the iPhone and introduced the world to the PDA. And beige and green go well together, colorwise …
iMac corner
The iMac corner. Three iMac DV models run early versions of Mac OS X: Cheetah 10.0, Puma 10.1 and Jaguar 10.2. A UFO-shaped Airport Extreme Base Station hovers above.
Mac IIci
The Mac IIci was one of the most popular 68k Macintosh models. The 13-inch Apple RGB display doubled as a space heater for small rooms. The mini Steve Jobs is an added bonus.
Power Mac G4 Cube
The Power Mac G4 Cube was the father of the Mac mini and grandfather to the upcoming Mac Pro. Beneath that, boxed Macintosh software from System 7 to Snow Leopard.
Buster Hein is a freelance writer who lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Twitter: @bst3r.
