Part of Adolf Hitler’s desk up for auction in Essex

A piece of Hitler's desk (Image: Archant)

The 7cm-long marble piece was part of the Nazi leader’s desk in the Reich Chancellery, which had been shattered during the final days of the war.

Lord Balfour and Marshal of the RAF Sir Sholto Douglas saw the wreck while being given a tour of the building by Russian troops in November 1945.

Causing a distraction, Lord Balfour took three pieces and made them into paperweights each with a plaque – one of which he gave to Winston Churchill as a gift.

One was bought by the actor Ronald Squire, who donated it to the charity – which is now selling it at Reeman Dansie auction house in Colchester to raise funds.

The piece has been valued at £3-500, but auctioneer Lewis Rabett admits it is somewhat of an unknown quantity.

He said: “It is a very rare and unusual lot, and it is difficult to put a price on it. If there are two collectors who want it, it’s worth as much as they think.

“It would not surprise me if we get more, but we have to start somewhere.

“Given it is for charity we hope it gets as much as possible so it can continue its good work.

“It does not have Nazi insignia on it, so it may not attract interest in that sort of memorabilia, but market for militaria is very strong at the moment and the provenance adds more to it.

“The story is really what makes this special, being sneaked out of the Chancellery building right under the noses of Russian soldiers and whisked back to Britain, it is straight out of the pages of a Cold War spy novel.

“I have never had anything like this before, but that’s the joy of the job. If someone had said to me two months ago and said you’ll be auctioning a piece of Hitler’s desk I would have dismissed it.”

The piece goes under the hammer on August 25.