A STEEL ‘watch’ that was designed to stay under cover now finds itself thrust into the limelight at an online Jewellery and Silver Sale.

It will be hosted by North Yorkshire auctioneers Elstob & Elstob later this month.

The surveillance device – masquerading as a watch – was used by spies during the Cold War period and is one of more than 500 items being presented at the Internet-based specialist auction on Thursday, May 28.

The piece is a rare surviving example of espionage equipment from the era of prolonged United States and Soviet Union rivalry that utilised state-of-the-art recording technology developed by Protona, a small German company, in the 1950s. Devices like this were widely used by secret services around the world but its main customers were the Russian KGB, German BND and the CIA.

To all intents and purposes, the outer case of the device looks like a regular wristwatch, complete with a tachymeter, dials and second hand, and even bears the name of the Swiss-German watchmaker Hanhart. However, inside the case – instead of the usual watch mechanism – there is a tiny microphone with an attached cable to run up the side of the wearer’s arm. The back of the case is perforated around the edges to allow the microphone inside to pick up and record sound using hair-thin magnetic wire.

"This is an amazing piece of genuine spy kit that really sparks the imagination," said David Elstob, director of the Ripon-based auction house. It is also a marvel of engineering with everything on such a miniature scale.

"At the time, these devices weren’t cheap, selling at around 350 Deutsche Marks in the mid 1950s, which converts to around £1,400 in today’s money. The watch has a guide price of £300 to £400 at auction so if it sells for anything like that amount then someone will get an absolute bargain, plus their own bit of fascinating Cold War history.

"Who knows what it has seen and heard?" he added.

Also in the Elstob & Elstob sale are a number of Russian pieces from further back in time. A fine silver-gilt snuff box made in Moscow in 1792 carries a price estimate of £2,000 to £3,000 and an elegant silver-gilt and Niello flute also from Moscow c.1830 is estimated to reach £600 to £800. The specialist auction follows the resounding success of the auction house’s first totally online sale last month, which attracted more than 2,300 registered bidders.

High prices were seen across the board but with some particularly high results in the jewellery section, including the sale of a late 19th century Tiffany Tiger Orchid brooch for £50,000.

The upcoming sale on May 28 will include jewellery, silver, coins and watches which are all illustrated online with full descriptions, images and condition reports. Items bought at the sale can be sent out by courier or Royal Mail Special Delivery, or housed until safe collection can be made.

Elstob and Elstob is one of only a small number of UK auction houses not to have postponed or cancelled sales due to Covid-19 restrictions. The saleroom itself will be closed to the public but live bids can still be made online or over the telephone.

Contact Elstob & Elstob on 01765-699200 or info@elstobandelstob.co.uk.