The Second World War cipher machine was crucial to the German war effort &mdash; yet cryptographers at Bletchley Park, led by Alan Turing, cracked its code. We look at the life of the mathematical genius and Enigma&rsquo;s significance to modern computing

The Second World War cipher machine was crucial to the German war effort — yet cryptographers at Bletchley Park, led by Alan Turing, cracked its code. We look at the life of the mathematical genius and Enigma’s significance to modern computing

<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6495026" target="_blank">A four-rotor Enigma cipher machine, Heimsoeth &amp; Rinke, November 1941</a>. One of the rarest Enigmas, and among the hardest to decrypt. Allied efforts to break the M4, under the leadership of Alan Turing and Joe Desch, led to the development of the first programmable computer. The machine&rsquo;s use of four rotors, instead of the earlier three, and the operator&rsquo;s ability to select these from a pool of eight interchangeable rotors, together with stricter operating procedures, gave the M4 Enigma a much higher level of encryption. Sold for $718,200 on 10 September 2024 at Christie&rsquo;s in New York

The WW2 cipher machine was crucial to the German war effort, yet cryptographers led by Alan Turing cracked its code

What is an Enigma machine?

British singer and guitarist Oliver Sim is a cultural lightening rod. On the heels of releasing his new solo song, Obsession, The xx band member riffs on cinematic photography, morning gym laps and ancient mineral forms

Portrait of Oliver Sim by Sharna Osborne. Right: An ancient gogotte mineral from Fontainebleau, selected by Sim for its beguiling form

The Brit musician riffs on cinematic photography, morning gym laps and ancient mineral forms

In The Frame: Oliver Sim

We talk to one of the palaeontologists whose excavations uncovered a mighty Stegosaurus along with two examples of Allosaurus &mdash; &lsquo;a deadly combination of brute strength and agility that predates T. rex by some 60 million years&rsquo;

We talk to one of the palaeontologists whose excavations uncovered a mighty Stegosaurus along with two examples of Allosaurus — ‘a deadly combination of brute strength and agility that predates T. rex by some 60 million years’

<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6514192" target="_blank">Adult and juvenile Allosaurus</a>. From the Meilyn Quarry, Medicine Bow, Carbon County, Wyoming, USA, late Jurassic (circa 145-157 million years ago). Estimate: &pound;5,000,000-8,000,000. Offered in <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.christies.com/en/auction/jurassic-icons-allosaurus-stegosaurus-30576/" target="_blank">Jurassic Icons: Allosaurus &amp; Stegosaurus</a> on 12 December 2024 at Christie&rsquo;s in London

Upcoming Classic Week Auction

What is an Enigma machine?

In The Frame: Oliver Sim

Three iconic dinosaurs of the Jurassic period, unearthed in Wyoming and coming to Christie’s in London

How to buy

How to sell

Frequently asked questions

Science and Natural History

Upcoming auctions

Upcoming Classic Week Auction

Request an estimate

Contact us

Latest stories

What is an Enigma machine?

In The Frame: Oliver Sim

Three iconic dinosaurs of the Jurassic period, unearthed in Wyoming and coming to Christie’s in London

Why wait for the next auction?

Buying and selling

How to buy

How to sell

Frequently asked questions

Sign up for updates on Science and Natural History auctions and exhibitions