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Lehman New Century Cycle
Q: I have a tin windup car that was given to me 40 years ago by a relative who said he played with it as a boy in the 1890s. The paint is original and the letters “DRCM” are on the windup key. Any information about the car and its value would be appreciated.
A: Your toy is called a “New Century Cycle,” nicknamed “Onkel.” It was made by Lehmann Co. of Nuremburg, Germany. The company, founded in 1881 by Ernst Paul Lehmann in Brandenburg, moved to Nuremburg after the Soviet occupation of East Germany. It is still in business today. The New Century Cycle is modeled after the Berlin pedal-engine cab, designed in 1895 by Hermann Ganswindt (1856-1934), an engineer and later a rocket-builder. Your lithographed tin toy was made about 1905. When you turn the key and wind up the toy’s coil spring, the rear wheels turn to move the cycle forward or sideways, the man in front lifts his hat to greet passersby and the umbrella twirls. A similar toy in near-mint condition with its original box recently sold at auction for $1,300. Without the box, it can bring $375 to $750.
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