London – This September, Bonhams Knightsbridge presents four sales offering a diverse selection of highlights, showcasing extraordinary works of technology, craftsmanship and printmaking. A rare Heimsoeth und Rinke three rotor Enigma 1 cypher machine, German, circa 1937, untouched in a Norwegian barn since 1945, leads the Instruments of Science and Technology sale from 2-12 September. The exceptional craftsmanship of Ziegler carpets can be admired in a late 19th century example offered in the Home and Interiors sale from 6-17 September. A selection of pistols with important Royal connections, including a Cased Pair of 50-Bore Percussion Duelling or Target Pistols built by James Purdey for Wilhelm, Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg, will feature in the Antique Pistols: Two English Private Collections sale from 9-18 September. The final sale of the month, the Prints & Multiples sale from 16-25 September, celebrates the vast history of printmaking with four centuries of works on offer, one of the newest editions being Damien Hirst's Tolerance from his January 2024 limited edition series, The Secrets.

Instruments of Science and Technology
2-12 September

A rare Heimsoeth und Rinke three rotor Enigma 1 cypher machine, German, circa 1937, untouched since 1945 until its discovery in a Norwegian barn in 2023, will lead the Instruments of Science and Technology sale with an estimate of £90,000 - 120,000. In 2023, this rare Enigma 1 cypher machine and Uhr device were discovered in a barn on a farm in eastern Norway, belonging to a farmer who died in 1995. The discovered Enigma 1 machine and Uhr device were used by the Luftwaffe in Norway during the Second World War. The farmer served as a member of the local Home Guard troops (Heimevernet) after the war, and his barn may have been used as a logistics storage centre for the unit. The Enigma remained in the barn since then until its discovery last year. Coming to auction for the very first time, this sale offers a rare opportunity to own an untouched original example, still in working condition, of the most significant cypher machine in history.

The Enigma's condition is remarkable, remaining in its original veneered oak box, with original instructions on the inside lid. It is offered together with a rare Konski & Kruger Uhr plugboard selector, a cipher security device that would be mounted beside the Enigma, capable of changing the configuration of the plugboard circuits hourly by turning the wooden rotary knob, which still operates in the example on offer. Introduced by the Luftwaffe in 1944, the Uhr's code was broken after only a few days by the codebreakers at Bletchley Park. With its captivating provenance and exceptional condition, this is an important and unique find demonstrating the early history of technology and computing.

Home and Interiors
6-17 September

Typifying all the attractions of late 19th century Persian design, a striking example of a Ziegler carpet with an unusual turquoise ground, bold palmettes and a rich madder border, from North-West Persia, circa 1880, is being offered in the Homes and Interiors sale. The name Zeigler refers to the Anglo-Swiss company established in Manchester in 1883, which developed the original, and very distinctive, Ziegler pattern comprising floral motifs in soft, muted palettes. The company's workshops in Arak and Tabriz directly supplied international retailers including Harvey Nichols and Liberty & Company with their incredibly popular designs. Created using the most up-to-date dying techniques and by the most skilful weavers, each carpet showcases exceptional craftsmanship and artistry. It has an estimate of £2,500 - 3,500, and is the Property of a Gentleman.

Antique Pistols: Two English Private Collections
9-18 September

Built by the world famous James Purdey for Wilhelm, Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg (1806-1884), this fine cased pair of 50-Bore percussion rifled duelling or target pistols is among a selection of pistols with important Royal connections in the sale of Antique Pistols: Two English Private Collections. The striking pair exhibits fine details, including delicate foliate engraving and retains virtually all their original case-hardened and blued finish. The original brass-mounted mahogany case retains the original maker's trade card on the interior lid, which reads, 'J. Purdey, Gun Manufacturer, No. 314½ Oxford Street, near Hanover Square, London.' This fine pair of pistols lead the sale which comprises two private English collections of the gunmaker's art from the 17th to the 19th centuries and are offered with an estimate of £15,000 - 20,000.

Prints & Multiples
16-25 September

The Prints & Multiples sale will feature a vast selection of prints spanning almost four centuries, from Old Masters to contemporary artists, from Rembrandt to Hirst. One of the sale's newest editions on offer is Damien Hirst's enchanting garden scene, Tolerance, from his limited edition print series, The Secrets. Based on Hirst's The Secret Gardens Paintings, 2023, The Secrets series comprises eight unique garden scenes, which were released in January 2024. Tolerance is a laminated giclée print, on an aluminium composite panel, measuring 120 x 93cm, and is numbered and hand-signed by the artist. It is offered with an estimate of £3,000 - 5,000. The Secrets series illustrates the shifting thematic focus in many of Hirst's more recent works, as he highlights the relationship between humanity and the environment, and the transient nature of life. Hirst described The Secrets as a reflection on "the hope and futility we get when we try to control nature". Demonstrating Hirst's mastery of the interplay between abstraction and realism, Tolerance is tantalising, with its vibrant bursts of colour along a seemingly eternal winding floral path.