Elisabeth Gaunt, the 93-year-old daughter of Sir Barnes Wallis, the inventor behind the legendary Dambusters raid, found herself embroiled in a "fake or fortune" controversy. Gaunt attempted to auction off marbles that were believed to have inspired her father's creation of the "bouncing bombs" used in the historic 1943 RAF mission. However, the marbles were later exposed as counterfeit, resulting in no bids at the auction.

Controversy Over Historic Artifacts

Auctioneers initially showed enthusiasm for the glass toys, anticipating a high value due to their historical significance. Gaunt claimed sole ownership of the marbles and expressed her disappointment over the fake sales. The controversy comes just days before the 83rd anniversary of the Dambusters raid, scheduled for next Saturday.

Investigation Reveals Fake Sales

Richard Morris, the author of a biography on Sir Barnes, conducted an investigation into the sales of supposed Dambusters marbles. His findings revealed that lots totaling more than £70,000 had been sold over the past decade. The revelation of the fake marbles has cast a shadow over the authenticity of other similar artifacts.