deskthority

Just acquired an IBM Model M 1390131 (square label I think). But its birthday is 1993, which seems late. It looks like the one http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cf ... /id/157775, except the label on the bottom of the case is the old-school IBM label, not the dinky Lexmark label.

It is NIB. The sticker label on the box has a serial number matching the keyboard's label. I haven't seen its front yet as it is still taped to the foam it comes with. Now I am not sure if I should just let it rest like that to keep it original, untouched, unmolested.

Is this rare?

Picture:

I very much doubt that it will have a square label. From the year of manufacture and the drainage holes on the underside I'd say It's almost certainly a blue label and therefore not particularly rare. However, NIB examples are becoming increasingly difficult to find so I'd be tempted to keep it in an "unmolested" state.

Can I ask where you got it from?

You opened the box, so it is now a used keyboard.


Nice find and be sure it has a grey or blue labels but surely no square metal label. I've got one from 1989 with a grey one.

According to the clickykeyboards link in my OP, there are indeed square silver label made as late as 1996. Urg, now I have to open it to confirm.

I got it from BiNiaRiS.

It is square silver label!!!! I was able to bend the foam back a little to see the label on the RIGHT side of the keyboard without breaking the tape.
This one below you can make out the letter 'I' on the label. This is weird. 1993 silver label.

litster wrote:It is square silver label!!!! I was able to bend the foam back a little to see the label on the RIGHT side of the keyboard without breaking the tape.

131 label 2.JPG

This one below you can make out the letter 'I' on the label.

131 label 1.JPG

This is weird. 1993 silver label.

Just a stupid question. I don't know this for certain, just a theory:

Can it be a refurbished one? The sticker on the underside is covered by clear plastic tape, I've seen this at refurb boards before.

But I'm not really sure about that.

Where is the Model M guru ?

I don't think it is a refurbished model. It is taped and packaged just like other new old stock. The underside of the keyboard, which is exposed, looks like brand new. It could be a replacement part for the older versions that was made back in late 1980s.

7bit, what do you mean by the sticker covered by clear plastic tape? The sticker looks just like any of the older IBM Model M sticker.

litster wrote:I don't think it is a refurbished model. It is taped and packaged just like other new old stock. The underside of the keyboard, which is exposed, looks like brand new. It could be a replacement part for the older versions that was made back in late 1980s.

7bit, what do you mean by the sticker covered by clear plastic tape? The sticker looks just like any of the older IBM Model M sticker.

Most Model Ms or other IBM keyboards I know have a paper sticker. But this one seems to have a papersticker and a clear plastic tape above it. Just like I saw on more than one refurbished board.

I'm not sure about my theory. Just find it strange why there are square silver label model Ms which are younger than my oval plastic label one.

Do wild ducks winter hibernation?

7bit wrote:Most Model Ms or other IBM keyboards I know have a paper sticker. But this one seems to have a papersticker and a clear plastic tape above it. Just like I saw on more than one refurbished board.

I'm not sure about my theory. Just find it strange why there are square silver label model Ms which are younger than my oval plastic label one.

Do wild ducks winter hibernation?

That's strange. All my Model M and Space Saving keyboards have a plastic cover over the label on the bottom shell. The only ones I have seen that have just a smaller paper label without plastic cover are late models made by Lexmark, usually with permanently attached cable.

So, is this kind of a unicorn or not?

litster wrote:

7bit wrote:Most Model Ms or other IBM keyboards I know have a paper sticker. But this one seems to have a papersticker and a clear plastic tape above it. Just like I saw on more than one refurbished board.

I'm not sure about my theory. Just find it strange why there are square silver label model Ms which are younger than my oval plastic label one.

Do wild ducks winter hibernation?

That's strange. All my Model M and Space Saving keyboards have a plastic cover over the label on the bottom shell. The only ones I have seen that have just a smaller paper label without plastic cover are late models made by Lexmark, usually with permanently attached cable.

rm -r ~/.theories/model_m/refurb.th

OK, problem in my head fixed.

No plastic cover because made by IBM UK.

webwit wrote:No plastic cover because made by IBM UK.

No plastic cover, but made in USA.

And now?

I've seen some '0131s made as late as 1996. Probably spares made for an important/large customer.

7bit wrote:And now?

That's a USA board, not UK. UK didn't use plastic over the labels. USA on early boards/older style labels. They probably stopped at some point using them in mass production and then inconsistently applied the left-overs on boards such as seen in the OP.

Maybe we should build up a database which contains all those oddities to research the whole thing scientificly.

That's not wise, there will be no end to the oddities. That's like the guys who got into Alps. You'll end up as a ripster.



Alps discussion. "The salmon Alps (sometimes called orange or pink) are better than the pink ones (sometimes called salmon or orange), except when non-complicated, or with the sprue mark on the wrong side of the slider, or in case of an exception."

webwit, is this still a rare find? NIB silver label?

litster wrote:webwit, is this still a rare find? NIB silver label?

Probably, but I don't do ebay anymore so I don't know the trends. Recently someone send me an ebay link with multiple NIB Model M soft touch keyboards, $100 a piece. That was rare, I guess.

Soft touch. That's messy with all the grease.

I'll trade the warranty card for some reversed LOD keys from 7bit.

I had a IBM Mini once with the Lexmark FCC laden fugly label. Peeled it off to find the nice plastic coated IBM label underneath.

I figure if I put the warranty card with it I can command a $500 premium from those crazy Japanese collectors.

And just CUT THE TAPE will ya! Took me a while to figure out what that pic was of.

LOL! I am a peeping tom! I don't think I am going to cut the tape. I have plenty of keyboards to type on. I do have another 131 that I cleaned that looks like new.

There are only a couple things from you that I would like to trade for. reversed LOD keys are not them