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HP Forum Archive 18

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OT: After 70 years: ENIGMAs found in Spain
Message #1 Posted by George Bailey (Bedford Falls) on 26 Oct 2008, 6:53 a.m.

Article in El Pais

I wonder when they will surface on ebay and if they will cost more than a 15C or a 42S??? ;-)

Edited: 26 Oct 2008, 6:53 a.m.

      
Re: OT: After 70 years: ENIGMAs found in Spain
Message #2 Posted by Katie Wasserman on 26 Oct 2008, 10:04 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by George Bailey (Bedford Falls)

I wonder how many other people here have an interest these machines? I certainly do.

I wanted a "real" collectible several years ago -- not that old HP calculators aren't a real collectibles, but until they appear on Antiques Roadshow, they're not going to be mainstream. Enigma machines aren't that hard to find, but they are very expensive and don't necessarily come with the best karma. So I found and purchased a similar, more rare, recently declassified (in 1992) but much less expensive Swiss NEMA. Karma-wise, it's been a good artifact so far :)

Edited: 26 Oct 2008, 10:07 a.m.

            
Re: OT: After 70 years: ENIGMAs found in Spain
Message #3 Posted by George Bailey (Bedford Falls) on 26 Oct 2008, 10:29 a.m.,
in response to message #2 by Katie Wasserman

Katie,

if you can't buy one then DIY one ;-)

DIY ENIGMA

                  
Re: OT: After 70 years: ENIGMAs found in Spain
Message #4 Posted by Kiyoshi Akima on 26 Oct 2008, 1:22 p.m.,
in response to message #3 by George Bailey (Bedford Falls)

Quote:
if you can't buy one then DIY one ;-)

Or program it into your HP handheld.

The link above is to the 48GX version. It emulates both the three- and four-rotor variants, complete with plugboard. Sorry, no uhr-box. Also silent, unlike the real thing. I've also got a 50g working, but I still want to clean it up a little more. If you're interested, drop me a line and I'll email it to you.

kiyoshi

            
Re: OT: After 70 years: ENIGMAs found in Spain
Message #5 Posted by Pascal on 28 Oct 2008, 9:45 a.m.,
in response to message #2 by Katie Wasserman

Wow ! how did you get a hand on such a machine ? I live in Switzerland and I'm quite jealous that you were able to get one in USA ! Did you actually find it in the USA ?

                  
Re: OT: After 70 years: ENIGMAs found in Spain
Message #6 Posted by Katie Wasserman on 29 Oct 2008, 2:45 a.m.,
in response to message #5 by Pascal

I bought it from a antiques dealer, Gerard Schnoebelen, in Switzerland about 8 years ago. He sold some on ebay too. (In fact there's one out there now - from someone in the states -- for an outrageous price, $US 11,000.)

Here's a somewhat out of date sale price list of Enigmas and NEMAs that gives you a good idea of what these machines should cost.

Edited: 29 Oct 2008, 2:48 a.m.

                        
Re: OT: After 70 years: ENIGMAs found in Spain
Message #7 Posted by Ren on 29 Oct 2008, 3:23 p.m.,
in response to message #6 by Katie Wasserman

Katie,

Have you searched inside it?

Winston Churchill said something about finding a mystery and then a riddle and even Russia's future inside one!

Ren

dona nobis pacem

                        
Re: OT: After 70 years: ENIGMAs found in Spain
Message #8 Posted by Pascal on 31 Oct 2008, 7:54 a.m.,
in response to message #6 by Katie Wasserman

Thanks for the link, this givs me a good estimate of the value of such a machine (just in case I find one around here)...


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