Hello all,
I've been sent some pictures of a rather interesting-looking wooden box from a friend in Germany who purchased it from an estate. We both collect Enigma machine-related artefacts and parts, and think that it may have been a box for an early commercial Enigma machine. I have sent the pictures of the box to some more knowledgeable crypto-experts I know, but also wanted the opinion of general militaria collectors since it might simply be a Wehrmacht-issue box - the front lock clasp was also used on other boxes other than Enigma machine boxes. If it instead a Wehrmacht-issue box, does anybody know what this box may have been used for?
Unfortunately I no longer have the internal measurements of the box. They were somehow deleted. Therefore, in one the attached pictures there is an original Enigma transport case (Kriegsmarine-type) for scale comparison. I do know, however, that the measurements were almost exactly the same as the measurements of the commercial enigma machine the Enigma A, introduced in 1924 - 27 x 23 x 13 cm. Unfortunately there are no surviving examples of this machine.
https://www.cryptomuseum.com/crypto/enigma/a/index.htm
The case does appear to have been altered at some point in its history. The inside has been painted black and the chemical equation for Ethanol painted on its lid for some reason.
Here are some pictures of the box:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...Cd?usp=sharing
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I've been sent some pictures of a rather interesting-looking wooden box from a friend in Germany who purchased it from an estate. We both collect Enigma machine-related artefacts and parts, and think that it may have been a box for an early commercial Enigma machine. I have sent the pictures of the box to some more knowledgeable crypto-experts I know, but also wanted the opinion of general militaria collectors since it might simply be a Wehrmacht-issue box - the front lock clasp was also used on other boxes other than Enigma machine boxes. If it instead a Wehrmacht-issue box, does anybody know what this box may have been used for?
Unfortunately I no longer have the internal measurements of the box. They were somehow deleted. Therefore, in one the attached pictures there is an original Enigma transport case (Kriegsmarine-type) for scale comparison. I do know, however, that the measurements were almost exactly the same as the measurements of the commercial enigma machine the Enigma A, introduced in 1924 - 27 x 23 x 13 cm. Unfortunately there are no surviving examples of this machine.
https://www.cryptomuseum.com/crypto/enigma/a/index.htm
The case does appear to have been altered at some point in its history. The inside has been painted black and the chemical equation for Ethanol painted on its lid for some reason.
Here are some pictures of the box:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...Cd?usp=sharing
Any help would be greatly appreciated.