A contraband radio made by a British POW imprisoned in the Stalag 17 camp during the second world war is to auction at Bonhams New York on April 29.
It's valued at $20,000-30,000.
The lot was made by Sergeant James L Cast, who was at the camp from April 1944 to May 1945, from various odds and ends.
 The radio is cobbled together from various odds and ends |
It was used by inmates to covertly listen to news reports. It proved the inspiration for a key plot point in the film Stalag 17 (1953).
It's accompanied by a letter of provenance from Cast's wife Ruth, which explains the origins of the extraordinary piece.
"The crystal and the German aviator's earpiece were traded for cigarettes by American prisoners who spoke German," she explains.
"The soap box was standard issue. The components are just wood & wire. We have not put the ear piece on for years as the prongs are rusty. The crystal is embedded in a thimble!
"I was told they would move the key to reach Berlin, then by moving a few wires further over they would get BBC.
"This was made between 6 May 1944 and 6 June 1944 as they heard about D. Day before the guards knew about it.
"When they finished listening or had to close up, the crystal went into a pocket, the lid on the soapbox, and it just sat there. The Ear piece went into an enlarged knot hole on the inside part of a berth."
The sale will include a wealth of world war two memorabilia, including a flight log belonging to the co-pilot of the Enola Gay.
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