A WWII-period German Enigma machine is coming to auction at Bonhams this month.
The three-rotor version, made by Heimsoeth and Rinke in 1941, is expected to achieve up to £60,000 ($95,919) when it auctions in London on November 14.
Germany employed Enigma machines during the conflict to turn messages into unintelligible and "unbreakable" code.
Following a breakthrough by the Polish Cipher Bureau, British code breakers at the now famous Bletchley Park were able to decrypt messages which had been enciphered using the Enigma.
Their work is said to have shortened the war by up to two years.
Laurence Fisher, a technical apparatus expert at Bonhams, commented: "Enigma machines come up very rarely at auction. This particular example is in working order, completely untouched and un-restored.
"Many machines were picked up by the allies as souvenirs during the final stages of the second world war and as such, in later years, tended to be 'mixed and matched', where rotors, outer cases and head blocks were replaced with another machines' parts.
"This one has all elements bearing the same serial number, making this totally complete and original throughout."
 Breaking the Enigma machine is thought to have shortened the second world war by two years |
A world record price was set for an Enigma in September 2011, when Christie's sold a 1939 three-rotor machine for £133,250 ($208,137).
The later manufacture date of the present piece should ensure its lower estimate is accurate.
The Fine Mechanical Music and Scientific Instruments auction will also feature a complete set of three Enigma machine rotors, valued at £8,000 ($12,788).
A single rotor from an Enigma machine sold for £1,242 ($1,945) at PFC Auctions' May 2012 sale.
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