WHAT: The international community of scientific machine collectors went all agog last December when Bonhams New York realized $463,500 for an intact M4 World War II Enigma machine. The result was a new record.
Invented by a German engineer during World War I, Enigma machines are encryption and decryption devices widely used during WWII by Britainâs codebreakers to decipher German signals.
MORE: Found by a knowledgeable European collector at a German electronics flea market, the M4 unit made in Berlin by Heimsoeth and Rinke is a German Naval 4-rotor Enigma enciphering machine. All rotors match. This version is complete, fully operational and works, plus it has an original oak case with metal lock and carrying handle.
SMART COLLECTORS KNOW: Developed exclusively for German naval use, the M4 was ordered by Admiral Karl Doenitz and used by his U-boat forces for encoding. It was vital to keeping the fleet in touch. The machines are extremely rare, as submarine commanders were ordered to destroy them before surrendering. Surviving machines came under control of the Allies.
HOT TIP: Due to its fine condition, this M4 is thought to have been from a U-boat based on shore rather than from a U-Boat due to its fine condition
BOTTOM LINE: The sale was a dedicated (item-specific) History of Science and Technology auction. Intact and significant goods are so hard to find in this category that few houses can pull together a worthy auction.
