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Rare set of seven Apple Computer business cards of Steve Jobs from 1997, 1998, and 1999, which date to his return to the company where he assumed the role of Interim CEO, a title he later creatively altered to ‘iCEO.’ The cards, each 3.5 x 2, all feature the Apple logo, with the two earlier versions bearing the iconic ‘rainbow’ logo, and the remaining five featuring a ‘translucent’ logo in red, blue, green, orange, or purple. The ‘rainbow’ cards share identical contact information, but differ in title, with the earliest version marked “Interim CEO,” and the second version identifying Jobs as “iCEO.” The five ‘translucent’ cards also list Jobs as the “iCEO,” but feature a break in the contact information and are dual-sided, with the reverse identical minus Jobs’s title in Japanese characters. In overall very fine condition.
According to the wife of the original recipient: ‘In the early 2000s, my husband was a sales manager at a Mercedes dealership in San Jose, California. One morning, he went to work very early to get work done before the rest of the crew showed up. He noticed a family walking around the lot and went out to introduce himself and ask if they needed any questions answered. When he approached, he immediately recognized Steve Jobs, who told him he was just looking around.
My husband knew Steve only dealt with a specific salesperson and had done so for years. Steve and my husband had a lengthy and good conversation, ending when Steve said he needed to get to work and would contact his salesperson later in the day. It's a well-known fact that Steve bought new cars quite frequently, because he didn't want license plates on his cars, which could be tracked to him, and result in him being followed by nut cases.
Anyway, my husband and Steve would meet up several times, again during early hours on the lot. Steve was always congenial, would say, ‘It's good to see you again,’ and lengthy conversations would take place, ending only when other people would start showing up. Several years passed, and one day, Steve's salesperson handed my husband an envelope that contained these seven business cards.’
