Strauss & Lehmann Tin Lithographed & Hand Painted Windup “Oh My! Alabama Coon Jigger” Black Americana Toy with Box *SOLD*

Strauss Mfg. Co. & Lehmann Tin Lithographed & Hand Painted Windup “Oh My! Alabama Coon Jigger” Black Americana Toy with Box 

This is a tin, lithographed & hand-painted, windup “Oh My! Alabama Coon Jigger” manufactured by the Ernest Lehmann Co. of Brandenburg, Germany for the Ferdinand Strauss Company/Strauss Mfg. Co. of New York City, New York.  

When wound with its dedicated key and switched on, this working example moves up and down and does a jig. The box is in excellent condition and is wrapped in cellophane to protect it. Upon closer inspection, we did notice some small repairs on the box lid skirt and possibly at the seams. It’s hard to tell without unwrapping it. 

This piece is in great 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 play. This is approximately 4 ¾” L x 3 ¼” W X 10” H. We invite you to view the photos to further determine quality and condition.   

A brief history of the Ferdinand Strauss Company of New York City, New York:  

The Ferdinand Strauss Company was founded in the early 1900s in New York City, New York by Ferdinand Strauss. Strauss was from the Alsace region of Germany. In the beginning, Strauss imported various toys that he sold from his New York Shop. Strauss specialized in importing tin mechanical toys and produced toys from 1914 to 1927.  

During the early 1900s, European toy manufacturers had already perfected color lithography, and were manufacturing many tin toys and pressed steel toys for the North American market. Like most European toy manufacturers, Strauss also manufactured pressed tin toys with color lithography.  Many of the toys also had wind-up or clockwork mechanisms to have them move on their own. In 1912 Strauss hired Louis Marx, who later founded the Marx Toy Company.  

In 1918 Strauss began manufacturing toys on his own instead of importing them. Strauss produced (wind-up) toys for the Abraham & Strauss Department Stores and was a pioneer in the friction tin toy industry. They managed to capture much of the 1920’s mechanical tin toy craze, but Strauss was eventually out manufactured by other toy companies that had similar toys.  

The Ferdinand Strauss Company’s eventual fate is unclear, but it appears that the company faded into history by 1927. There is some evidence that the company was absorbed by Louis Marx’s company as there are several items from the Strauss line that seem to have been incorporated into Marx’s own line.  

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 Lehmann’s 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.