AUTOGRAPHED MAGNAVOX ODYSSEY 300 TV Game System - Signed by Ralph Baer

Description: AUTOGRAPHED MAGNAVOX ODYSSEY 300 TV Game System - Signed by Ralph Baer This is a near-mint condition, vintage, original Odyssey 300 by Magnavox, personally signed by its designer and creator, the late Ralph Baer, when he was in Austin, Texas. The pictures tell the story, but there's more story below! :) That’s me and Ralph Baer. Ralph was brought to Austin by Bill Bottorff, who was working with the UT Videogame Archive at the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History THE DETAILS Fantastic condition Odyssey 300, completeIn original box, some wearIn original shipping box, some wearSigned by its creator, Ralph BaerPacked by its creator, Ralph Baer (seriously, he decided to pack it up himself when we weren't looking) THE STORY About a decade ago, a friend found a new-in-box, new-in-shipping-box Magnavox Odyssey and gifted it to me. Years later, thanks to a long time friend and colleague, Bill Bottorff, I was privileged to host Mr. Baer while he was in town, and he was kind enough to sign this for me. Mr. Baer passed a few years ago, in 2014. The most entertaining part of the story for me was, after he signed it, we were all talking and while we turned around, he was packing it back into the box himself. I've never been able to take it back out afterward, meaning this unique piece of video game history was not only designed by Mr. Baer and signed by Mr. Baer, but also PACKED by Mr. Baer. You can see by the pictures that there are plenty of people that can corroborate that it was indeed signed (and packed) by him. If this goes to the right person, it'll be seen and enjoyed by FAR more people than it does at my home. WHO WAS RALPH BAER? He is considered to be the FATHER OF VIDEO GAMES. He is legend. His inventions essentially saved my life and gave me a career. Learn more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_H._Baer Baer is considered to have been the inventor of video games, specifically of the concept of the home video game console. In 1966, while an employee at Sanders Associates, Baer started to explore the possibility of playing games on television screens. He first got the idea while working at Loral in 1951, another electronics company, however, they wanted nothing to do with it at the time. In a 2007 interview, Baer said that he recognized that the price reduction of owning a television set at the time had opened a large potential market for other applications, considering that various military groups had identified ways of using television for their purposes. Upon coming up with the idea of creating a game using the television screen, he wrote a four-page proposal with which he was able to convince one of his supervisors to allow him to proceed. He was given $2,500 and the time of two other engineers, Bill Harrison and Bill Rusch. They developed the "Brown Box" console video game system, so named because of the brown tape in which they wrapped the units to simulate wood veneer. Baer recounted that in an early meeting with a patent examiner and his attorney to patent one of the prototypes, he had set up the prototype on a television in the examiner's office and "within 15 minutes, every examiner on the floor of that building was in that office wanting to play the game". WHY IS THE PRICE SO HIGH? On eBay right now, there are "pieces of paper" Mr. Baer signed being sold for almost $10,000. Seems to me we should aim for the sky and see if the right person comes along. I really want this to be loved and viewed. Are you the right person? This is a VERY important piece of video game history, and I have never seen anything like this for sale, anywhere. Its rightful owner will appear, I am certain. It would make an AMAZING addition to a video game museum. Perhaps you want to buy it and donate it to a museum? Everyone could win. The nonprofit, the museum, the public, and you. They'll likely put your name on the display at the museum! Or maybe it would help your taxes? Whatever the case, let's find a way to make this happen! This autographed console is absolutely priceless, which makes it really difficult to put a price on it and impossible to profit from it myself. Here's what I'm going to do: ----------------------------------------------------- 100% of your donation goes directly to Radical Empathy Education Foundation, whose mission is to end human trafficking in one generation. They are dedicated to educating children about Human Trafficking Prevention Education. They built an interactive Virtual Reality simulation (it's not a 360 movie) that teaches you how it FEELS to be trafficked, in a safe, non-threatening way. It works in conjunction with in-class materials and raises empathy for victims as well as teaches how to get involved in your community. Read more here: www.reefcares.org. ----------------------------------------------------- Update: Since this listing, I have received a number of direct messages from Ralph's friends and co-workers in support of this sale (and price) for Radical Empathy. Admittedly, I had some concerns (as may be obvious from the notes above) because I only want its sale to be good for the universe. For their blessings, I am very thankful; it would kill me if it was the opposite and I would have taken this down immediately. Please contact me directly if you have any questions at all. I am certain you will be thrilled with this completely unique piece of history. If you have any concerns at all, let me know before you purchase.

Price: 17749 USD

Location: Austin, Texas

End Time: 2024-08-18T16:52:20.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD