Calling All Detectives: "Christmas Ornament Is Valuable Clue"

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode Air Date: January 5, 1949 (Original), December 1, 2025 (Rebroadcast)
Host: Jerry Browning, Private Detective (Fictional)
Episode Number: 345

Episode Overview

In this classic episode of "Calling All Detectives," Jerry Browning, a private detective, stumbles upon a supposedly worthless Christmas tree ornament, only to find it is a priceless diamond pendant—the Rajput diamond. This discovery sets off a tale of intrigue involving a switched necklace, a missing woman, and a murder concealed behind the cover of an innocent holiday tradition. The episode delivers old-school detective fare with clever twists and sharp period dialogue.

Key Discussion Points & Story Breakdown

1. Discovery on a Snowy Night

• [00:34–01:30] Jerry’s Late-Night Walk:
  Jerry Browning is out walking on a cold January night when a speeding car rushes past. Noticing a glint from a discarded Christmas tree, he picks what he believes to be an ornament.
• Crucial Clue:
  The “ornament” is actually a gold necklace with a diamond pendant, alongside an empty .32 caliber cartridge shell.
  • Quote: “What I thought was an ornament on a discarded Christmas tree turned out to be a diamond pendant necklace, and on the ground there was an empty cartridge.” – Jerry Browning, [01:10]

2. The Diamond’s Origin

• [01:35–03:05] Seeking Answers:
  Jerry calls the police (no reports of theft or violence), then visits jeweler George Delman, who identifies the find as the Rajput diamond from the prestigious Eckersol collection.
  • Quote: “Magnificent, Mr. Browning. A superb stone, matchless. And unless I'm badly mistaken, this is the Rajput diamond from the Eckasaw collection.” – Jeweler George Delman, [02:56]

3. Deception at the Eckersol Estate

• [03:06–04:56] Attempt to Return the Diamond:
  Visiting the home of owner Mr. Eckersol, Jerry meets the secretary, Carl Flicker, who claims the owners are away. After being shown a duplicate necklace in the vault, Jerry suspects a switch.
  • Exchange:
    • “Recognize this, Mr. Flecker?” – Jerry Browning, [03:46]
    • “Looks like the Rajput diamond, Mr. Browning.” – Carl Flicker, [03:51]
    • “It is the Rajput diamond.” – Jerry Browning, [03:55]
    • “Here is the Rajput diamond, Mr. Browning. See for yourself.” – Carl Flicker, [04:18]
    • “...the stone you showed me this morning was the Rajput diamond. This is a piece of glass.” – Jeweler George Delman, [04:56]

4. A Web of Lies

• [05:00–06:41] Failed Reward and Mounting Suspicions:
  Jerry confronts Mr. Eckersol in Florida, only to be rebuffed as a “rascal up to some kind of game.” Jerry then discovers Mrs. Eckersol is missing, and Mr. Eckersol’s story unravels under police questioning.
  • Notable Quotes:
    • “Just a second, Mr. Eckersol. I don't care about the reward anymore. I want to know why Carl Flicker pulled that switch on me, why the loss of the diamond was never reported, and how it happened to get lost in the first place.” – Jerry Browning, [05:54]
    • “Browning. I am now inclined to think that Flicker was right after all, that your necklace was an imitation, and that you are a rascal up to some kind of game. Will you leave, or must I call the police?” – Mr. Eckersol, [06:09]

5. The Truth Emerges

• [06:42–08:39] Confessions and Crime Solved:
  • Mr. Eckersol is held on suspicion of murder. Under pressure, the secretary Flicker admits he had switched the necklace to avoid embarrassment. The real story comes out: Mrs. Eckersol suspected her husband, tried to escape, and during the fatal confrontation, threw the necklace away as a clue. Jerry’s persistent detective work and the involvement of the police lead to the uncovering of the murder and the hidden body.
  • Quote: “He'd planned to kill his wife, but she became suspicious even before they left the city. Jumped out when he stopped for a light. He followed her, gun in hand. A gun with a silencer on it. He thought of everything. Except that when she saw death coming, Mrs. Eckersol grabbed at the necklace around her neck and flung it far from her. One last attempt to provide a clue to the death she got a moment later.” – Jerry Browning, [08:08]
  • Closing Line: “A carefully planned crime to get rid of an unwanted wife. A crime that might possibly have worked except for an overzealous secretary. Like I said, anything can trip up a killer. Even the branches of a discarded Christmas tree.” – Jerry Browning, [08:30]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Suppose you plucked what you thought was a worthless ornament from a discarded Christmas tree and found a priceless gem. What would you do?”
  – Jerry Browning, [00:34]
• “It was the exact duplicate of the one I was carrying.”
  – Jerry Browning, describing seeing the fake necklace in the vault, [04:22]
• “Nobody can do that to me and get away with it.”
  – Jerry Browning, upon realizing the switcheroo by the secretary, [05:02]
• Narrative pay-off and twist ending:
  “...anything can trip up a killer. Even the branches of a discarded Christmas tree.”
  – Jerry Browning, [08:30]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:34] Start of case: Jerry finds the diamond necklace and cartridge
• [02:56] Jeweler identifies necklace as Rajput diamond
• [03:38] Jerry visits Eckersol’s home, meets secretary Carl Flicker
• [04:18] Vault reveal and necklace switch
• [05:44] Florida confrontation with Mr. Eckersol
• [06:41] Police interrogation of Mr. Eckersol
• [07:07] Secretary confesses, mystery solved
• [08:30] Jerry’s closing reflection and the resolution

Episode Tone & Language

The episode delivers a tightly paced detective drama, typical of the Golden Age of Radio—filled with sharp dialogue and wry narration. Jerry Browning is brisk, persistent, and cynical, using classic, hard-boiled detective language. The episode’s tone is suspenseful, with a satisfying twist and a touch of holiday irony rooted in its opening setup.

Summary:
This mystery episode uses the accidental discovery of a diamond among trashed Christmas decorations as both literal clue and narrative metaphor. A supposedly perfect crime is undone by the smallest oversight—a neglected ornament and a secretary's misguided loyalty—reminding listeners that no detail is truly insignificant in matters of the heart...or the law.