Lehmann Tin Lithographed Windup No. 941 LuLu Pecking Bird Toy with Case & Key for Sale

Lehmann Tin Lithographed Windup No. 941 LuLu Pecking Bird Toy with Case & Key

This is a tin, lithographed, windup no. 941 LuLu pecking bird toy with original marked case and key that was manufactured by the Ernest Lehmann Co. of Brandenburg, Germany.    

When wound with its key, LuLu pecks and hops forward. The key is rusty with age, and the case’s plastic is worn but bears the Lehmann mark on the top. LuLu is in mint condition and has been tested and works. 

This piece is in all original condition with no breaks, restorations, repairs, or touch-ups. This piece shows the usual patina, fading, dust, chips, scuffs, surface rust, scratches, missing accessories, and wear that are to be expected from age and display. It is approximately 3” L. We invite you to view the photos to further determine the quality and condition.     

 

     

A brief history of the Ernest Lehmann Co. of Brandenburg, Germany:        

The Ernest Lehmann Co. was founded in 1881 by Ernest Paul Lehmann in Brandenburg, Germany. Lehmann exported vast quantities of toys to the United States from 1895 to 1929 (excluding years of WWI). In 1921, Mr. Lehmann’s cousin, Johannes Richter joined the firm and built on the Lehmann reputation by patenting toys such as the Skirolf skier. After the Second World War, Ernest Lehmann Co. was re-established in 1951 in Nuremberg, Germany.       

Lehmann specialized in lithographed tinplate, mechanical transportation toys, and figures known for colorful patina. Some of the most desirable Lehmanns’ include Mr. and Mrs. Lehmann, Dancing Sailor, Icarus, and Autobus. They are most famous for their colorfully lithographed and detailed mechanized tin toys. The company really came into prosperity in the early 20th century when it switched to making lightweight yet intricate tin toys in popular themes at a time when most other toy manufacturers were still making only heavy iron toys.