How did vladek say he hid the items in the bank deposit box?

Vladek and Art have finally arrived at the bank. Vladek shows Art a safety deposit box, where he keeps jewelry that he was able to hide in a chimney through the entire war.

Vladek shows Artie a cigarette case and a lady's powder case . They were 24 karat gold. Vladek says that he hid them from the Nazis by throwing them in the chimney and picking them up later.

In the box, Vladek has kept valuables from before the war, which he had hidden in a fireplace before being sent to the concentration camps. He retrieved them after the war, sneaking into the house in the middle of the night while the occupants slept. There is also a diamond ring in the box, which Vladek gave to Anja when they arrived in the U.S.