The Kenbak-1 Registry

The world’s first commercially available personal computer

Built in 1971 in a garage in Los Angeles. At the dawn of the computer age. Inspiration for many engineers and developers. The Kenbak-1 computer is years old.

Mission statement

This website is dedicated to the Kenbak-1 computer, the world’s first commercially available personal computer. The Kenbak-1 Registry exists to preserve the history of the Kenbak-1 and to preserve the legacy of the inventor John Blankenbaker for future generations. John Blankenbaker's enormous achievement is the design and construction of a working computer, often referred to as the first commercially available personal computer. He built the computer years before other developers produced more powerful and significantly better computers thanks to modern CPUs. In the mid and late 1970s there was a boom in the computer scene. At that time there was not only the CPU, but also a lot of literature and much that could be copied.

This website has no ads, does not use cookies, does not track you and is hosted in the European Union. It is independent, free to use, not influenced by the interests of any individual, company or organization, and has no rating system.

Kenbak-1 Registry

After taking care of John Blankenbaker's former webpage to preserve his legacy and the history of the Kenbak-1, I decided to create a registry of the Kenbak-1. Someone should preserve this history and follow the path of the few original Kenbak-1 computers. I also maintain the Apple-1 Registry. It requires more effort and work than one might imagine. But the result is worth it.

In 2022 John Blankenbaker gave me permission to preserve his legacy and continue to host his original website. It is now available at www.kenbak-1.info.

This is still the first simple version of the Registry. I need help from other owners to add more content over time.

Only about 40 Kenbak-1 computers were made. The former Computer Museum of Nova Scotia had a list of all known Kenbak-1. The museum was closed years ago but the website remained online longer. The museum sold all Kenbak-1s.
A few Kenbaks are known to still exist. The Kenbak-1 has a serial number. John started with 167 as the first number. John picked this number from his residential address at the time, 12167 Leven Lane in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Not much is known about the last Kenbak-1. With the help of this registry it will be possible to collect and preserve more information.

#1 Kenbak-1 (Prototype)

It is the only Kenbak-1 prototype John Blankenbaker built. John Blankenbaker auctioned it through Bonhams on 21 September 2015. Since 2018, the owner has been Achim Baqué. Achim was in contact with John just weeks before he signed the contract with Bonhams. John told him on the phone that his granddaughter would play with the computer on the carpet right in front of him. John wondered why nobody had asked him earlier whether he still owned a Kenbak-1. More information and pictures are available at the website dedicated only to the prototype TheFirstPC.com.

#2 Kenbak-1

It is at the Computer History Museum in California. John Blankenbaker donated the computer to the museum. It is on display. Picture.

#3 Kenbak-1

Owner is Erik Klein. Erik Klein's website.

#4 Kenbak-1

Owner was Vinal Applebee of the Maine Computer Museum. This museum closed.

#5 Kenbak-1 (CTI)

It is a 'CTI version' sold by CTI Education Products Inc.
Owner was Robert Nielsen Sr., South Carolina. Robert Nielsen sold 6 Kenbak-1 to the Computer Museum of Nova Scotia. Robert Nielsen Sr. worked for the CTI Education Products Inc. He made a very nice video.
April 2022, John Blankenbaker wrote to me about Robert Nielsen Sr.: Neilson used Kenbak-1 computers in teaching. He developed exaggerated ideas about his contributions. He was a big fan."
It was sold on eBay on August 9, 2009. Owner is unknown.

#6 Kenbak-1

It was sold by John Blankenbaker at auction. Serial number 0183. John restored this computer and wrote about it. Read his PDF. Owner is now the Old Computer Museum. From the Old Computer Museum: Kenbak #183 was fixed and sold by John through an eBay auction on May 8, 2010 for $25,600 to an Italian collector. I purchased it from that collector also on eBay in February 2016 and flew to Milan to pick it up.

#7 Kenbak-1

Sold on eBay in August 2005. Owner is unknown.

#8 Kenbak-1

The owner is a person in Tennessee who wants to remain anonymous.

#9 Kenbak-1 (CTI)

It is a 'CTI version' sold by CTI Education Products Inc. It has a modified power supply. The fan is on the outside.
Owner is unknown. It is #1 of the 7 Kenbaks that were in the Computer Museum of Nova Scotia. The museum sold them all.

#10 Kenbak-1

It has modified input switches. Owner is unknown. It is #2 of the 7 Kenbaks that were in the Computer Museum of Nova Scotia. The museum sold them all.

#11 Kenbak-1

Owner is unknown. It is #3 of the 7 Kenbaks that were in the Computer Museum of Nova Scotia. The museum sold them all.

#12 Kenbak-1

Owner is unknown. It is #4 of the 7 Kenbaks that were in the Computer Museum of Nova Scotia. The museum sold them all.

#13 Kenbak-1

It is a 'CTI version' sold by CTI Education Products Inc.
Owner is unknown. It is #5 of the 7 Kenbaks that were in the Computer Museum of Nova Scotia. The museum sold them all.

#14 Kenbak-1

Owner is unknown. It is #6 of the 7 Kenbaks that were in the Computer Museum of Nova Scotia. The museum sold them all.

#15 Kenbak-1

It is a 'CTI version' sold by CTI Education Products Inc.
Owner is unknown. It is #7 of the 7 Kenbaks that were in the Computer Museum of Nova Scotia. The museum sold them all.

Unassigned Kenbak-1s

The following Kenbak-1 computers cannot be assigned to one of the Kenbak-1 computers listed above at the moment. If it is possible to get the serial numbers of most Kenbak-1 computers, these numbers could be used as a sorting criterion.

A Kenbak-1 is in the Deutsches Museum Munich. Serial number 0185.
https://blog.hnf.de/kenbak-1-ein-computer-macht-schule/ Sold at auction at Auction Team Breker on 9 November 2015 for 41,582 Euro including buyer's premium (34,000 Euro without) to the Deutsches Museum Bonn. It is now in the museum in Munich. It was acquired by Anja Teuner (Curator of the Deutsches Museum Munich). I have known her since 2017 when I lent an original Apple-1 to the museum. She no longer works at the museum. Here is a blog entry of the museum about the Kenbak-1. It is in German but as you know, you can easily translate it via Google etc.

One or more Kenbak-1 computers from the former Computer Museum of Nova Scotia are most likely in the Computer Museum of America. One is on display but I have no further information. We will see if the museum shares some information. For the Apple-1 Registry I also hope to get information from the museum. I already contacted the museum and Lonnie Mimms (owner of the museum) several times. Lonnie invited me to his museum long before it was open to the public. Unfortunately I lost contact with him. He didn't give me any pictures or information about his Apple-1 or the Kenbak-1. From my experience this museum and Lonnie Mimms do not share pictures or information except with the press.