Q: Recently you wrote about an old tin windup frog. That reminded me of the old tin windup ladybug my uncle gave me years ago. It’s 4 1/2 inches long and is red with white dots and black feelers and legs. The built-in key is on the bottom. When you wind it up, it travels on two wheels and its feelers move a little. The marks on the bottom include the year 1911, an SG logo and the name S. Gunthermann’s.

 

A: S. Gunthermann was founded in Nuremberg, Germany, about 1877 and became one of the world’s most respected manufacturers of metal vehicles and other toys. Your ladybug, patented in 1911, could sell for up to $200 if it’s in excellent and working condition.