Ballpoint signature, “Steve Jobs,” on the back of a 3.25 x 2 movie ticket stub from Century Cinema 16 in Mountain View, California, which was issued for a 7:35 PM showing of the Disney adventure film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl on August 23, 2003. In very good to fine condition, with a tear (made by the usher before signature) at the bottom touching, but not adversely affecting, the first letter of Jobs' last name.
Accompanied by a detailed letter of provenance from the original recipient: “Throughout my life, I only used and owned Apple computers. The adventure started when I was a teenager after my dad got our family an Apple //e on which I learned the basics of programming. Since then, I enjoyed using Apple computers throughout my education and professional life.
Between July 2002 and September 2003, I moved to the US to work in the Bay Area as a researcher at Stanford University. Under the leadership of Steve Jobs, Apple was experiencing a remarkable resurgence, marked by the successful launch of iMac in 1998. The company was also starting to revolutionize the portable music industry with the introduction of iPod and the creation of the iTunes store, making this era a particularly exciting time for any Apple enthusiast.
As a fan of Apple, I couldn't pass up the chance to visit the Infinite Loop campus store in Cupertino and grab a few souvenirs during my time working in the Bay Area. But nothing came close to the extraordinary encounter that awaited me on the evening of August 23, 2003, just one week before I would head back to Europe.
That evening, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was showing at Century Theatres on N Shoreline Blvd in Mountain View. I was seated at the back of the room patiently waiting for the movie to begin when a man accompanied by some children tapped on my shoulder and kindly asked me if I could move by one seat so that they could all comfortably sit together. I gladly accepted and while I was moving, I suddenly realized that I had just spoken to Steve Jobs.
Being such an Apple enthusiast, it took me some time to recover from this surprise. I thought it would be wonderful to get an autograph from him. At that time, I was not aware that he was more than reluctant to accept such requests. Moreover, I did not want to potentially upset him before he could happily enjoy the movie, so I chose to wait until we were leaving the room to address him. Today I still remember the exact words I had prepared in my head to be as respectful as possible and they were: ‘Mr. Jobs, would you do me a favor? I am a big fan of Apple, and I would like to know if you would accept to sign an autograph for me?’ His response was ‘Sure’ and as I had no paper on me, the only thing I could hand him was a pen and my movie ticket that he signed in the palm of his hand. Expressing sincere gratitude, I warmly thanked him and exited the room with immense joy.
I have kept this precious and exceptional autograph carefully for the past 20 years. In retrospect, I think it’s fortunate that it was signed on this movie ticket. First, it’s precisely dated and used, making it more vibrant and livelier than if it had been signed on a random piece of paper. Second, it’s quite unique compared to the few other known autographs of Mr. Jobs as it illustrates another important facet of his life. Indeed, we all know him for his role as Apple CEO and for his genius in designing remarkable products. In the first decade of the 21st century, one could argue that he was at the pinnacle of his creativity, and by 2003, the concept of the iPhone, destined to revolutionize the phone and mobile communication industry, was certainly already germinating in his mind. But on that precise evening of August 23rd, 2003, as busy as he was, he was simply relaxing and enjoying family time watching the movie Pirates of the Caribbean I with his children, adding a palpable human touch to this movie ticket and autograph.”
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