Rare German World War Two Enigma machine to be auctioned

12 October 2013

Rare German World War Two Enigma machine which scrambled the code broken 
by Bletchley Park experts to be auctioned

- The device is an advanced model from 1944, and is completely 
  unmodified
- The Nazis used the machines to encrypt messages throughout the war
- But British analysts were able to break the codes using a machine 
  built by mathematical genius Alan Turing
- London auctioneers Bonhams expect it to fetch £30,000-£50,000

By Kieran Corcoran

A rare German encoding machine used by the Nazis to send secret messages 
in the dying days of the Second World War will go on sale this month.

The machine, built in 1944, was part of the German intelligence operation 
famously thwarted by British intelligence officers working out of 
Bletchley Park.

A specialist from London auctioneers Bonhams said the 'untouched and 
unrestored' device is especially valuable because it still has many of its 
original parts, and was not modified after the war.

Engima machines were used through the war by the German military, but this 
was a later model which sent out even more heavily-encrypted signals than 
earlier versions, and had billions of possible combinations..../snip/


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2456163/Rare-German-World-War-Two-Enigma-machine-scrambled-code-broken-Bletchley-Park-experts-auctioned.html

http://www.bonhams.com/press_release/14776/

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20774/lot/58/