Enigma for sale

[BruceH]

Auctioneer's site

€ 20 - 40 000

[d b]

What do you want to bet that Sylvain buys it and not only discovers a modern purpose for it, but he also uses it regularly?

[Katie Wasserman]

Price estimate looks way too low and the condition looks to be way too good, something seems fishy to me.

My only "real" collectable is a NEMA (serial # TD 525) -- similar to the Enigma without the bad karma, and without the super high price. Not that my hp-35 red dot isn't a collectable, but until I see it on Antiques Roadshow (or maybe Pawn Stars) it's not "real" outside of our small community.

[Dave Frederickson]

(10-21-2015 01:50 AM)Den Belillo (Martinez Ca.) Wrote:  What do you want to bet that Sylvain buys it and not only discovers a modern purpose for it, but he also uses it regularly?

Even money.

Modern Purpose: Encoding FRAM71 configuration strings.

[TASP]

I volunteer somewhere in Los Angeles. They have an item on public display that no one (besides me) seems to realize or appreciate is worth, conservatively (IMHO) at least $500,000, if not significantly more.

The item is perched on top of (not in!!) a display case, and can be touched by the public. I suppose it is 'hidden in plain sight' and that offers some security, but it is still nerve wracking to me the thing could be damaged (or disappear, never to be seen again) and no one in the administration of the place is remotely concerned about it.

As for the enigma machine, it is creepy in a way. I thought the 20-40000 Euros is low too, but what do I know ??

[BruceH]

(10-21-2015 02:23 AM)Katie Wasserman Wrote:  Price estimate looks way too low and the condition looks to be way too good, something seems fishy to me.

It's probably a Swiss Army one. I note that the auction description is careful to not mention who the first owner was.

[Katie Wasserman]

(10-21-2015 07:35 PM)BruceH Wrote:  

(10-21-2015 02:23 AM)Katie Wasserman Wrote:  Price estimate looks way too low and the condition looks to be way too good, something seems fishy to me.

It's probably a Swiss Army one. I note that the auction description is careful to not mention who the first owner was.

Ah, that's it! This explains why the NEMA was designed the way it was as it was a replacement for the Swiss Enigma and they kept many of the features. It also explains why this Enigma is in such good condition as it was kept in reserve and never user, same as my NEMA.

[Don Shepherd]

From the design of the front of the case (it doesn't appear to pivot downward, which would reveal the plugboard), this unit apparently does not contain a plugboard. The plugboard significantly increased the level of security in the German armed forces Enigmas.