Enigma machine on eBay

[1944GPW]

Not mine unfortunately, and I haven't won the lottery recently so it's not likely to be anytime soon , but I haven't seen any mention here on the VC forums of the latest Enigma machine up for offers:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-Enigma-Cipher-machine-WWII-period-/151006482772
I read about it on http://ebay-stories.com which has a bit of background.
Looks like a nice example, even if it is missing the number plate. I have no idea whether it is a wartime unit or one of the pre-war Polish(?)-built machines. It certainly would be the centrepiece of a collection though!

Steve.

 

[barythrin]

?! I thought I read somewhere that there weren't any originals left but suppose I'm wrong? Thought this would be a replica or in a museum. 1 day left and it's currently at $33,000 with 3 bidders though so I guess if they really do own it it's going somewhere.

 

[deathshadow]

Too clean, paper hasn't yellowed, it's pine when the real ones were oak... it looks like one of the replicas.

 

[Ole Juul]

it's pine when the real ones were oak... it looks like one of the replicas.

For one thing, oak is cheap in those quantities and there is no reason to use pine. For another, that's oak. No comment on replica.

 

[Jimmy]

I think this same machine was on eBay before in 2007, sold for around $20,000 then I think. They were sold commerically before the beginning of the war, and there were numerous models and configurations. This one says it was a version used by the Army, what ever that means.