Author who sparked a nationwide treasure hunt with the Masquerade Hare has challenged the public to another riddle

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Author who sparked a nationwide treasure hunt with the Masquerade Hare has challenged the public to another riddle

April 6th, 2012

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

Artist Kit Williams is appealing for the return of a treasured 22 carat gold bracelet stolen 18 months ago
Fears mount that thieves have melted priceless jewelery down to sell

By
Eleanor Harding

PUBLISHED:

05:01 EST, 6 April 2012

|

UPDATED:

05:27 EST, 6 April 2012

It sparked a nationwide treasure hunt in the 1970s.

Now Kit Williams, creator of the Masquerade mystery, has challenged the public to another riddle – and this time even he doesn’t know the answer.

The artist is appealing for the return of a bracelet made by him which was stolen by burglars 18 months ago, the only other piece of jewellery he ever made aside from his iconic golden hare amulet.

Missing: Artist Kit Williams is desperate to see the return of his precious 22 carat gold bracelet which was stolen and a £5,000 reward is on offer for its return

The hare gained cult status after he
buried it in the ground 33 years ago and published a children’s book
containing clues as to its whereabouts.

It is currently on display at the
Victoria and Albert Museum as part of an exhibition of the best British
designs of the 20th and 21st centuries.

A reward of £5,000 has been offered to anyone who can find the bracelet, which was created soon after the hare amulet.

Mystery: Those who searched for the elusive golden hare from the 1970s Masquerade mystery will finally be able to see it up close - when it goes on public display for the very first time

Mystery: Those who searched for the elusive golden hare from the 1970s Masquerade mystery will finally be able to see it up close – when it goes on public display for the very first time

Popular: Williams¿s children¿s story Masquerade was a publishing sensation, selling almost a million copies when it appeared in 1979

Popular: Williams’s children’s story Masquerade was a publishing sensation, selling almost a million copies when it appeared in 1979

Williams, now 65, crafted the gold
bangle, featuring a frog and a linnet, for a friend to give to his wife
as an anniversary present.

But it was taken when thieves raided the couple’s home in Gloucestershire– and now it is feared it may be lost forever.

Although it may have been melted down for scrap metal, the artist hopes it may still exist somewhere in Britain.

He said: ‘The burglars may well have
been kids or drug addicts.

‘They probably just picked it up because it
was small and easy to carry away. I’m certain they had no idea what it
was.

‘The most likely scenario is that it
has been melted down for scrap metal.

‘My only hope is that someone at
the gold processors twigged that it was more interesting than just a bit
of gold and decided to preserve it.

‘It’s the only piece of jewellery I’ve
ever made aside from the golden hare, but I’d be surprised if it still
exists.

‘They had no way of knowing it was made by me so won’t know the
significance.’

The bracelet, which is made of 100grms
of 22 carat gold, is engraved with the phrase, ‘I am Love Eternal, no
manacle made of me.’

On display: The amulet, created by artist Kit Williams, is to be shown at the Victoria and Albert museum as part of a new design exhibition. In a rare interview, he said he was glad his fans would finally have the chance to see it

Reunited: Kit Williams and Bamber Gasgoine, with the Golden Hare that they buried together in 1979

Reunited: Kit Williams and Bamber Gasgoine, riight, with the Golden Hare that they buried together in 1979

Williams made it for his Dutch friend
in 1984, along with an oval casket made from mahogany and a garnet set
on top which would open the container if moved in a certain way.

The two animals make up the clasp, with the linnet carrying a ruby on its head which would open the bracelet when pressed.

Williams said the couple, who want to remain anonymous, are offering the reward because it is of deep sentimental value to them.

Finders keepers: Poster promoting the finding the hare in the 1970s - hare was the prize for winning the puzzle from the book Masquerade by Kit Williams

Finders keepers: Poster promoting the finding the hare in the 1970s – the hare was the prize for winning the puzzle from the book Masquerade by Kit Williams

He added: ‘There is a special story
that I created to accompany the bracelet.

‘There’s a saying that the frog
is the Dutchman’s nightingale, I suppose because it’s quite marshy in
Holland.

‘So the story is that a frog and a
linnet decide to have a singing contest – and against all odds, the frog
wins. Why? Because the judge was a Dutchman.’

Williams’s children’s story Masquerade was a publishing sensation, selling almost a million copies when it appeared in 1979.

Among the illustrations and story, he inserted clues to locate a golden hare amulet – which he buried in a field himself.

But though two physics teachers
cracked the puzzle in 1982, they were beaten to the treasure by a
fraudster, who appeared to have found the hiding place through his
connection with Williams’ girlfriend.

The hare was eventually auctioned in December 1988, and sold for £31,900 to an unknown buyer in the Far East.

It was only recently that the current owner came forward, and agreed to loan it to the Victoria and Albert museum.

In a rare interview when the Masquerade Hare went on public display, its creator said he was glad his fans would finally have the chance to see it.

Williams said: ‘The idea was to bury something in the cold wet earth. It was the romance of it, that whatever people were doing, that jewel was waiting for them.

‘It hasn’t been seen by the British public before, as it was taken out of the ground by a rather dubious man who didn’t want to show it.

‘The amulet looks the same as when I made it, although some of the green stones have turned black after being preserved in wax while underground.

‘The current owner is very nice, I have met her and I’m glad she’s got it. She didn’t realise it had this other life.

‘She’s delighted that it’s going on display in Britain.’

Williams lives in Gloucestershire with his wife, Eleyne, and paints for a living.

If you think you have the missing bracelet, contact the news desk on 020 7938 6000 or email [email protected].