The story behind 'exceptionally rare' female assassin's dagger disguised as a hairbrush that's displayed in Essex

An 'exceptionally rare' WW2 female assassin's dagger - disguised as a hairbrush - has been donated to a museum in Essex. The hairbrush was donated to House on the Hill museum as part of a collection of WW2 items after the owner passed away.

The hairbrush contains a concealed dagger in the handle and was owned by a member of the Special Operations Executive (SOE). It was a British organisation formed in 1940 to conduct espionage, sabotage and reconnaissance in German-occupied Europe.

The agent who owned the brush, Maria Krystyna Janina Skarbek, played a 'femme fatale' role. Her job was to lure German officers and high ranking targets into her room before killing them.

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Maria Krystyna - a Polish woman, who became a British agent months before the SOE was founded - was one of Britain's longest-serving female wartime agents. In December 1946 she legally changed her name to Christine Granville.

The museum's owner, Jeremy Goldsmith, said: "We think it’s exceptionally rare. I would value it at around £5000+ as these items are very rare and scarce and, to be honest, very hard to value. When the items were brought in to us, the brush was in a box with other items.

"I noticed the label on it and that the handle was loose, so I slowly pulled the handle and to my surprise the dagger shot out! We have researched these items and very few are known to exist made for British agents in occupied territories in WW2."

The item is now on display at the museum in Stansted Mountfitchet in Essex.

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