Early Model M with AT connector, only $1999

[ed_avis]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/141783195883

The same seller has lots of other vintage IBM stuff.

[fanpeople]

That thing better know how to wash dishes and make dinner for that much.

[rowdy]

“VINTAGE ITEM; NEW OLD STOCK. SOLD AS-IS DUE TO AGE, NO RETURNS." - sure.

Zero broken rivet guarantee?

[njbair]

Since Model Ms are known for cleaning up so well, I don't see much added value for one NIB like this. Especially for an obscure SKU and no pics of the board itself.

[azhdar]

As soon as you take it out of the box it's loose 1900$ value and become what it is, a basic model M

[njbair]

As soon as you take it out of the box it's loose 1900$ value and become what it is, a basic model M

Except it never really had $1900 value.

[Bucake]

NEW IBM Model M clicky Space Saving Keyboard SSK bolt-mod P/N 1392934 ID#5036628
NEW IBM Model M P/N 1390131 clicky keyboard bolt-modded ID#3149686 Dated 05OCT88
NEW IBM Model M 1391401 clicky keyboard bolt-modded ID#1402215 Mfg Date 06JUN88
i would trust the seller of these three boards a lot quicker than the one in OP..

edit: i mean.. really, $2000? :/ ridiculous, if you ask me.

[ed_avis]

It is indeed an early model, no LEDs and the earlier PC-AT connector.  But I don't think there are any "collectors" who care enough about having one new in its original box.  Keyboard collectors like to *use* the darn things.

[SamirD]

Well, that's a nice kb and all, but our ps/2 30-286 that came with one of these cost less than that back in 1989.  But it's great to see that a piece of history has survived like that.  I bet after the end of the world, there still will be an IBM M here and there that the roaches will be crawling on...

[fohat.digs]

i would trust the seller of these three boards a lot quicker than the one in OP..

1avidcollector does top-notch work. He even had those styrofoam box inserts made for his refurbs.

Zero broken rivet guarantee?

The only New-In-Box Model M I ever bought had over half of its rivets broken. I'm just sayin' ....

[pr0ximity]

Have one, can confirm worth $2k

[Sed8op8]

Have one, can confirm worth $2k

I lol'ed

[Snowdog993]

OMG!  How many do I have?  Oh well I opened the boxes!  Awww.
I suppose they lost all those thousands of value even though they are still in them!
I can confirm they are nice to have, but not worth that much!!!!!
I'm laughing.











Just a few pictures....
...  Besides I modified the terminal boards with status LED's and standard controllers so they would work with a PC!

[ander]

I think we should all leave our MKs in their original shrink-wrapping whenever possible, and use only rubber-dome boards for actual typing. I also wear a condom at all times—you can't be too careful these days.

[fanpeople]

I have to put a condom on every time Snowdog posts his collection.

[SamirD]

OMG!  How many do I have?  Oh well I opened the boxes!  Awww.
I suppose they lost all those thousands of value even though they are still in them!
I can confirm they are nice to have, but not worth that much!!!!!
I'm laughing.

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Just a few pictures....
...  Besides I modified the terminal boards with status LED's and standard controllers so they would work with a PC!

Nice collection!

But I think this thread reminds us of how these keyboards have and have retained value in the first place--their ability to be used.  30 years later, these are still one of the best keyboards ever made and still work on almost 100% of computers made today.  That's the beauty of these tools.

And it's a supply and demand thing too.  Luckily, there's enough supply out there for almost anyone that wants one of these, hence why the prices are still around how much you paid for these brand new when they were available.  I'm actually going to run into the box for our original 'IBM Options' one that we bought for our Cyrix P166 monster system back in the mid-1990s.  And guess what?  We paid about $100 for the keyboard back then too.

The day the keyboard prices start shooting up into the 4 digits, I'll seriously consider selling almost all of mine because I could buy another Porsche with the proceeds.  :cool:

[Snowdog993]

I have to put a condom on every time Snowdog posts his collection.

Sheesh!

My nephew has a blue label 1391401:


Edit: My son is using a 1389162 terminal keyboard:


I am just using this modest 1392595 terminal keyboard:


The rest of them are put away.

[Bucake]

wow snowdog, good stuff. thanks for the pictures!

and that yellow plate.. oh my god.

[ander]

I have to put a condom on every time Snowdog posts his collection.

LOL. If I posted my collection, you'd have to put one on too, but that's because I haven't had time to clean most of them yet.

[SamirD]

I have about 20-something Ms, but they're in use on 20-something computers.  For those of you that just collect them without putting them in use, what's the attraction?  I know for me the only way this is fun is if I'm using them.  Someone enlighten me to the collecting thing.

[fohat.digs]

Someone enlighten me to the collecting thing.

I think that people are either born with a "collector gene" or they aren't.

[Snowdog993]

I have about 20-something Ms, but they're in use on 20-something computers.   Someone enlighten me to the collecting thing.

I will enlighten you. Some people collect dolls, others collect sports cards, while others collect coffee cups with the places they have been.  It bothers you that I have so many keyboards?  Well, maybe you should find a hobby you like.
It's not easy restoring Model M keyboards.  I put a lot of time and energy into the ones I could fix and use.  The ones I couldn't fix, I paid to have restored.  Some are worth it.  Maybe not to you, but they are to me.
If you don't have a hobby, that's your loss.

[SamirD]

Someone enlighten me to the collecting thing.

I think that people are either born with a "collector gene" or they aren't.

Oh, I know about collecting--I have a solid matchbox and hot wheels collection from my childhood as well as legos.  I guess since I work on the computer all the time and have so many computers, it's a bit hard for me to wrap my head around having the keyboards without systems.  I'd probably buy computers or reverse kvm switches so I could put all of them to use if I started collecting.  Probably why I haven't bought a new board even though some have been quite intriguing--where am I going to use it?

It bothers you that I have so many keyboards?  Well, maybe you should find a hobby you like.  It's not easy restoring Model M keyboards.  I put a lot of time and energy into the ones I could fix and use.  The ones I couldn't fix, I paid to have restored.  Some are worth it.  Maybe not to you, but they are to me.  If you don't have a hobby, that's your loss.

I meant no offense.  In fact, I love that you have so many, especially in such great care and condition.  I was just trying to wrap my head around just collecting them vs how I end up putting every M I have into use somewhere.  I guess to me the joy is using my collection vs the collection itself.  Kinda like how some car enthusiasts love to restore cars, not own them and others like to drive them and not restore them.  Thank you for helping me find some insight into the mindset of keyboard collecting.  I think I understand it better now.

[nubbinator]

Someone enlighten me to the collecting thing.

I think that people are either born with a "collector gene" or they aren't.

Is the collector gene like the hoarding gene?

[chyros]

I have about 20-something Ms, but they're in use on 20-something computers.  For those of you that just collect them without putting them in use, what's the attraction?  I know for me the only way this is fun is if I'm using them.  Someone enlighten me to the collecting thing.

I can see the point in having considerably different Ms, but not in having almost the same ones. I have an ancient industrial one and a bolt-modded grey-badge one and that's it; I sell off all others.

[fohat.digs]

Is the collector gene like the hoarding gene?

Probably somewhere along the same spectrum.

I am afflicted with both, however, I am able to purge useless junk. Unless I can imagine a legitimate use for something, I will jettison it.

On the other hand, I am sure that I possess things that I have not touched or used in half my lifetime.

[SamirD]

I have about 20-something Ms, but they're in use on 20-something computers.  For those of you that just collect them without putting them in use, what's the attraction?  I know for me the only way this is fun is if I'm using them.  Someone enlighten me to the collecting thing.

I can see the point in having considerably different Ms, but not in having almost the same ones. I have an ancient industrial one and a bolt-modded grey-badge one and that's it; I sell off all others.

I'm with you.  If I didn't get these all dirt cheap and have enough systems to use them on, I'd probably consider selling a few to a good home.

[SamirD]

I am able to purge useless junk. Unless I can imagine a legitimate use for something, I will jettison it.

On the other hand, I am sure that I possess things that I have not touched or used in half my lifetime.

It's a fine line, isn't it?  'One man's junk is another man's treasure' as the saying goes.  But what if you're on the treasure side of that saying?  Who's to tell you what to keep or what not too?  It's everyones' right (at least in the US) to acquire and keep whatever they want during their lifetime.  It's after that lifetime that it becomes messy...

[fohat.digs]

It's after that lifetime that it becomes messy.

Absolutely. I had my basement fairly clean, but both my parents passed away in recent years, and it is harder to throw their stuff out than mine. And my father had a good deal of my grandfather's stuff ....

[SamirD]

Absolutely. I had my basement fairly clean, but both my parents passed away in recent years, and it is harder to throw their stuff out than mine. And my father had a good deal of my grandfather's stuff ....

I'm starting to face that as my parents start to wind down their businesses.  Luckily we can scan things and get rid of the originals, but the sheer mass of documents is overwhelming.  It was 4000lbs when we moved it a few weeks ago.  I can't wait for it to all be the size of a small refrigerator and easily accessible.

[fanpeople]

Absolutely. I had my basement fairly clean, but both my parents passed away in recent years, and it is harder to throw their stuff out than mine. And my father had a good deal of my grandfather's stuff ....

I'm starting to face that as my parents start to wind down their businesses.  Luckily we can scan things and get rid of the originals, but the sheer mass of documents is overwhelming.  It was 4000lbs when we moved it a few weeks ago.  I can't wait for it to all be the size of a small refrigerator and easily accessible.

Two words 'government organisations' sure the 7-10 years has now passed and you could probably throw out that mound of boxes filled with dumb paperwork from 1995 which probably didn't need to be archived by law, but got put in because its easier than using the shredder. But lets not because no one wants to be the individual to say "yes you may dispose of that cancerous mountain wasting metres and metres of archive space". In fact you could probably make the argument that it poses a fire risk, that is ok we will go to a paperless system and this will no longer be a problem. Well the paperless system got introduced but again no one wants to give the word to stop using the old paper system, bang now you got two systems of archiving documents one was meant to replace the other. You have to use the new system because it is progressive and saves paper, but you HAVE to use the old system also otherwise the world could end. 

tl;dr The means, method and management of documents triggers me.

[nubbinator]

Government worker, can confirm ridiculousness of paperwork.  What's even better is how inept our paperless solutions are.  For example, if I want to fax something that requires a signature, I have two options.  Guest, I print the paper, sign it, fax it with a cover sheet, await confirmation.  Two, print it out, sign it, scan it in, import scanned images into word, save as pdf, open fax software, type in fax number, type in cover sheet info, delete "private" fax number so they send it to the office fax, hit send, pray the software works and it goes through (it usually doesn't for me).

Also, constant EOBs from MediCal.  They're a waste of space and a waste of resources,but no insurance company makes it easy to bulk register people so you can access stuff online. So we get 1-3 per month per person, all of which get filed.

[fanpeople]

Or electronic signatures, they are awesome when applied to the right sort of documents. But there is absolutely no benefit in altering a form to include an electronic signature, claim to the world that you have just solved an accountability problem when the form is meant to only be filled out by hand. I bet it took weeks to implement that change to the one form, yet neglect the fact that it is a policy breech to fill out that particular form on the computer. In fact it is a red mark from the auditors if they discover one of those forms filled out on the computer.

So triggered.


 

[nubbinator]

If implemented correctly, electronic signatures are just as good as physical signatures and are admissible in court.

[fanpeople]

If implemented correctly, electronic signatures are just as good as physical signatures and are admissible in court.

Dont misunderstand, I love electronic signatures and think that they make so much sense. In fact I believe that they are more secure than normal signatures in most circumstances (except where you need someone to witness said signature) at least you have some verifiable data on there. But in this specific instance someone went out of their way to implement this change and brag about it when in fact it was totally pointless. Literally using the electronic signature would contradict the rules of the game as you would have to sign it before completing which is a no no.

[ander]

It's not easy restoring Model M keyboards.  I put a lot of time and energy into the ones I could fix and use...

Right on, baby. When you spend hours using Q-Tips™ to dig hardened layers of 30-year-old snackfood crumbs out of something, you tend to be fond of it. It's like rescuing a homeless person or a refugee who turns out to be wonderful, wise, and to emit pleasing springy noises when you type on them.

[fohat.digs]

When you spend hours using Q-Tips™ to dig hardened layers of 30-year-old snackfood crumbs out of something,

Holy cow! I have never done anything like that.

I break it all the way down into pieces and let hot soapy water do all the work on everything but the electronics.

[SamirD]

Two words 'government organisations' sure the 7-10 years has now passed and you could probably throw out that mound of boxes filled with dumb paperwork from 1995 which probably didn't need to be archived by law, but got put in because its easier than using the shredder. But lets not because no one wants to be the individual to say "yes you may dispose of that cancerous mountain wasting metres and metres of archive space". In fact you could probably make the argument that it poses a fire risk, that is ok we will go to a paperless system and this will no longer be a problem. Well the paperless system got introduced but again no one wants to give the word to stop using the old paper system, bang now you got two systems of archiving documents one was meant to replace the other. You have to use the new system because it is progressive and saves paper, but you HAVE to use the old system also otherwise the world could end. 

tl;dr The means, method and management of documents triggers me.

Yep, the 7-10 years rule probably would be useful if all we were worried about was compliance, but sometimes a document just saves money.  A old survey plat from the 1990s was able to be used to speed up a new survey by weeks--so sometimes it's just a matter of needing the data from yesterday today.  I think the hardest part of the conversion process will be just weeding things out and then sorting the scanned pdfs.  But we'll have time to do it.

People on gh are so passionate! 

It irks me quite a bit when we've established some solid workflows that completely bypass paper--reviewing legal documents before signature is a perfect example.  My dad used to print it out, mark all over it, and then fax it to the attorney.  This would result in sometimes dozens of printed copies, and the only way to archive the changes made was to keep all the copies. ugh.  Today's method involves reviewing on the computer and then emailing the attorney with a followup phone call.  But my dad still keeps writing notes.  He's still generating paper when we have a paperless workflow.  But I guess you can't teach an old dog new tricks.  He's been working with his paper workflow for 40 years now, so some habits die hard.

Or electronic signatures, they are awesome when applied to the right sort of documents. But there is absolutely no benefit in altering a form to include an electronic signature, claim to the world that you have just solved an accountability problem when the form is meant to only be filled out by hand. I bet it took weeks to implement that change to the one form, yet neglect the fact that it is a policy breech to fill out that particular form on the computer. In fact it is a red mark from the auditors if they discover one of those forms filled out on the computer.

So triggered.

Government worker, can confirm ridiculousness of paperwork.  What's even better is how inept our paperless solutions are.  For example, if I want to fax something that requires a signature, I have two options.  Guest, I print the paper, sign it, fax it with a cover sheet, await confirmation.  Two, print it out, sign it, scan it in, import scanned images into word, save as pdf, open fax software, type in fax number, type in cover sheet info, delete "private" fax number so they send it to the office fax, hit send, pray the software works and it goes through (it usually doesn't for me).

Also, constant EOBs from MediCal.  They're a waste of space and a waste of resources,but no insurance company makes it easy to bulk register people so you can access stuff online. So we get 1-3 per month per person, all of which get filed.

If implemented correctly, electronic signatures are just as good as physical signatures and are admissible in court.

It amazes how much people on gh know about almost any topic.  I thought the 'paperwork reduction act' would have changed some processes by now.  Of course, we all know how slow the government is to change things--just too many connected things that can break from sudden change.

[jonathanyu]

OMG!  How many do I have?  Oh well I opened the boxes!  Awww.
I suppose they lost all those thousands of value even though they are still in them!
I can confirm they are nice to have, but not worth that much!!!!!
I'm laughing.

Show Image

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Just a few pictures....
...  Besides I modified the terminal boards with status LED's and standard controllers so they would work with a PC!

I love your second picutre... may I use it as my wallpaper?

[SamirD]

I love your second picutre... may I use it as my wallpaper?

That is a very, very nicely done picture.  I remember thinking that when I saw it, and I'm a pro photographer.

[jonathanyu]

I love your second picutre... may I use it as my wallpaper?

That is a very, very nicely done picture.  I remember thinking that when I saw it, and I'm a pro photographer.

I need to hire a photographer to take some pictures of my olivettis...

[invariance]

I didn't know a cardboard box and packaging could be worth $1,899?



Hmm, maybe I should grab some boxes and stuff them with bubble wrap and put them up.......

[Snowdog993]

I love your second picutre... may I use it as my wallpaper?

Sure!  That's the whole idea!  There are more pictures in my gallery too!  Maybe you'll see something there that suits your fancy!

[Snowdog993]

I love your second picutre... may I use it as my wallpaper?

That is a very, very nicely done picture.  I remember thinking that when I saw it, and I'm a pro photographer.

Well, that's interesting!  You should see how many FAILED shots I have too!  Maybe I should go for a change of career!



....That didn't work.

[fanpeople]

Yep, the 7-10 years rule probably would be useful if all we were worried about was compliance, but sometimes a document just saves money.  A old survey plat from the 1990s was able to be used to speed up a new survey by weeks--so sometimes it's just a matter of needing the data from yesterday today.  I think the hardest part of the conversion process will be just weeding things out and then sorting the scanned pdfs.  But we'll have time to do it.

People on gh are so passionate! 

It irks me quite a bit when we've established some solid workflows that completely bypass paper--reviewing legal documents before signature is a perfect example.  My dad used to print it out, mark all over it, and then fax it to the attorney.  This would result in sometimes dozens of printed copies, and the only way to archive the changes made was to keep all the copies. ugh.  Today's method involves reviewing on the computer and then emailing the attorney with a followup phone call.  But my dad still keeps writing notes.  He's still generating paper when we have a paperless workflow.  But I guess you can't teach an old dog new tricks.  He's been working with his paper workflow for 40 years now, so some habits die hard.

There are no doubt times when having old documents are beneficial, especially when those documents are produced by skilled individuals exercising their trade/profession skill sets. Unfortunately a lot of generic day to day stuff that is produced will only ever be looked at if some serious incident occurs like the suspicion of fraud, and even then probably not.

But definitely keeping certain things for a long period can be great, but only when that item has meaning. The majority of bureaucratic bullshiza is not worth the paper it is printed on.

[Snowdog993]

I love your second picutre... may I use it as my wallpaper?

Oh!  I found my other picture that I forgot to upload....



Edit: This is a picture from before njbair helped me out with a new NumLk/ScrLk key!
It's not a bad picture at all.

[fanpeople]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

That is a nice photo.

@Snowdog993 fixed

[Snowdog993]

Having trouble with quoting fanpeople?  I found the error....

Edit: fixer'd.

[fanpeople]

Having trouble with quoting fanpeople?  I found the error....  Hope you can fix it on both your posts....

I am on forum etiquette fire these past few day lol. I should probably concentrate on a bit more quality.

[ander]

When you spend hours using Q-Tips™ to dig hardened layers of 30-year-old snackfood crumbs out of something,

Holy cow! I have never done anything like that... I break it all the way down into pieces and let hot soapy water do all the work on everything but the electronics.

Really? As arduous as cleaning around spring barrels can be, I never imagined it'd be easier to slice off all the plastic rivets, take apart the key assembly, clean everything separately, reassemble everything, then drill out the rivet points and replace them with hardware fasteners—especially when the board works and is just dirty... I guess we all have our own ideas of fun, though!  :?|

OMG!  How many do I have?  Oh well I opened the boxes!  Awww.
I suppose they lost all those thousands of value even though they are still in them!
I can confirm they are nice to have, but not worth that much!!!!!
I'm laughing.

...

Show Image

...

I love your second picutre... may I use it as my wallpaper?

I especially like the M-13, subtly lurking in the back like a camouflaged Navy SEAL.