December 3, 2014, December 3, 1926

On this day 104 years ago George Claude, nicknamed the French "Edison",celebrated his invention of neon lighting at the Paris Motor show. Neon,went on to change the face of the planet. In the states it was embraced everywhere and people would drive from afar to see the first road sign advertisements that used neon. Neon has seen its heyday but many light artists employ it rather successfully.

It is also the day at 9:25 pm in 1926 when Agatha Christie disappeared for 11 days. Reading into the event I have learned it is far from being completely elucidated. Was she plotting to interfere with her husband's plans (Archibald Christie) to spend a weekend with his mistress or did she suffer from a rare form of amnesia or fugue syndrome or was she planning a publicity stint to promote her next book. She was eventually found in the St George Hotel and spa in Harrowgate.

The Radiant Elephant Community sent Ashley to investigate on Agatha Christies' tragic 11 day disappearence and he has come back with an incredible finding.

“In the St George Hotel and Spa” related Mr Peterose, "I found an elegant work desk in the room formally occupied by Mrs Christie. The tapestry of cats on the walls made me feel at home and the easily accessible ironing board and wifi service made my stay most enjoyable.

Mr Peterose recounting his stay in Harrowgate as Mr Graves holds his chin.

I kept looking around but had found nothing. (Something, I had a feeling might turn up.) I went down to the hot tub and ordered some calming treatments for my visage when I remembered a corner of the room under the ironing board that I had not investigated. I rushed out dripping wet, running past Betty's tearoom to eventually reach my suite. There it was, in a dusty cupboard: I found a needlepointed pillow with the message "Time is the best killer", skillfully executed.

However, on the rear or flip side of the pillow I could read, “I will marry an archeologist because the older I get the more he will be interested in me.” This was the famous missing pillow, I held it against my thumping heart and I deduced that the verb in the future must have indicated her desire to marry Max Mallowan, the celebrated archeologist at the time of her fugue and not after."

The rare needlepointed pillow, recto-verso, by Agatha Christie

Furthermore Mr Peterose uncovered a thimble, the thimble used by A.C. which was a gift from Mr Mallowan who was all knowing of Agatha’s love for needlepoint.

"The thimble was the most exciting thing" continued Mr Penrose who got up to pace a few steps, his thick corduroy pants going "thumpa, thumpa", my fingers were literally trembling as it rolled onto my hand" There were some curious epigraphic signs inscribed on the thimble that Max Malawian must have used perhaps inspired by his UR site findings in Syria where he eloped with Agatha."

The symbols etched into the inside, have been translated as follows,
“Anno domini 1926 consacratum my heart Agatha Christie, my love, Poirot is chill, Max.”

Agatha Christie's thimble, circa 1926

The suspense and tension in the lounge area of the New Hotel in Versoix was palpable. Everyone had their eyes riveted on Mr Penrose as he reached into his deep pockets to extract the thimble.

But the thimble wasn't there.

To make a long story short the police was called, nobody could leave the hotel, because the thimble of Ur was listed as one of the most precious thimbles in the world. Sewing enthusiast described it a priceless.

A big rock smeared with epigraphic symbols

Finally John Sheehy was found to have had the thimble in his jacket pocket. The Versoix cops had put him in a chokehold but the Elephanteers decided to grant him a pardon and he was let go.

To conclude, this thimble was purchased last week for the dignified sum of 18,400 dollars by this very Elephant Community. However, having already defaulted in payments to Parabank,our Azerbaijani bank,their collection agency will retake the thimble tomorrow.

Max Mallowan and Agatha Christie contemplating archaeology in Syria