The 2006 house contents sale of the Greenway estate of famed author Agatha Christie turned out as a surprising win for one of the fans who bought an old travelling trunk for £100. The trunk belonged to the author’s mother. Unknown to the buyer, the travelling trunk contained a locked strongbox whose key was long lost. For years the box remained sealed, and the owner of the suitcase was having building work done and saw the opportunity to wrench open the box with a crowbar. To her delight, inside she discovered a purse of gold coins, a diamond brooch and a three stone diamond ring.

These jewels will be part of the Bonhams, Knightsbridge Jewellery auction on 8th October. The jewels are said to be worth around £10,000.

The jewels are mentioned in Agatha Christie’s biography as pieces that were earmarked for Agatha and her sister Madge to inherit from their mother’s collection. Christie writes: “My mother’s valuable jewellery consisted of ‘my diamond buckle’, ‘my diamond crescent’ and ‘my diamond engagement ring’…Madge was to have the diamond crescent, I was to have the diamond buckle…”

“…my mother sorted amongst an array of odds and ends…all these required hours of sorting before they were packed in the trays in the various trunks.”

The 19th century diamond brooch is offered at £6,000-8,000 and the diamond three-stone ring is offered with estimate of £3,000-5,000.