An ordinary working day at sea turned into an unexpected discovery for a group of fishermen. After casting their nets early in the morning, they felt an unusually heavy catch. When they pulled the net onto the deck, instead of fish, they found a small metal safe inside. The fishermen assumed it might contain rocks or valuables, but the reality exceeded all expectations.
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After opening the safe, the men found dinnerware crystal inside — elegant glasses, a vase, and several dessert plates. Remarkably, the contents were not damaged by the water: the safe had been watertight, and the crystal was carefully wrapped in several layers of cloth and bubble wrap. The items sparkled in the sun and showed no signs of damage, as if they had just come from a store display.
The fishermen immediately reported the find to the coast guard. Police launched an investigation: the safe could have been thrown overboard from some vessel or lost in a shipwreck. However, no reports of a missing safe with crystal had been filed with the police. Experts suggest that the safe may have lain on the seabed for several years or even decades before ending up in the nets. Why someone would lock dinnerware and dishes in a safe and throw it into the sea remains a mystery.
Antique experts called in for appraisal determined that the crystal was manufactured in the early 20th century at a well-known European factory. The total estimated value of the find is approximately three thousand euros. “This is not museum level, but for collectors of dinnerware crystal, these items are of certain interest,” comments a specialist. “Fishermen usually haul up trash or rusty parts, but to find crystal inside a safe — that happens once in a hundred years.”
Under local laws, if the owner is not found within a certain period, the find becomes the property of those who discovered it. The fishermen stated that they do not plan to keep the crystal for themselves. “We don’t need glasses and vases,” they say. “We are simple people — we drink tea from mugs. If the owner isn’t found, we will sell the crystal to collectors and donate the money to repair the local kindergarten.” The owner of the safe can contact the police with appropriate documents proving ownership.
