Bonhams auction house has announced on its website that logos that decorated the exterior of Apple headquarters in Cupertino until 1997 will be auctioned on 4 June (www.bonhams.com/auctions/21652/lot/187). The logos are the old symbols, the rainbow apples that the company used from 1976 to 1997.

The approximately 1m x 1m signs made of various types of synthetic materials can be bid for at a put-up price of 10-15 US dollars (HUF 2.2-3.3 million). According to the auctioneers, the apple symbol, which has a history of its own, was commissioned by Steve Jobs, who had an apple with a bite taken out of it in mind so that “no one would confuse it with a tomato”. For the same reason rainbow colours were added to the apple.

Looking at the logo today, one can perceive that Apple started out with a rather complicated sign or logo based on 19th century traditions. This logo was replaced by the one now released for bidding. The rainbow apple went on a great career curve before it was replaced by the company’s real trademark, the monochrome logo that aligned with and determined trends to come, and is still in use.