The Apple computer company's founding partnership agreement has sold for $1.6 million in New York.

Sotheby's auction house says six telephone and online bidders sought the 1976 document before it was bought by Cisneros Corp. CEO Eduardo Cisneros.

The Apple document belonged to Ronald Wayne, who founded the Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple Inc. along with Steve Wozniak and the late Steve Jobs but gave up his share. It had been estimated to sell for up to $150,000.

Tuesday's auction of fine books and manuscripts also featured the first letter written by George Washington as president. The one-page letter from Washington to the House of Representatives fetched more than $362,000, in line with its pre-sale estimate.

A first edition of Raymond Chandler's "The Big Sleep" sold for $254,000, more than double its high estimate.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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