Ernest Lehmann
145+ years and still operating (founded 1881)
About Ernest Lehmann
The founder's name was Ernst Paul Lehmann, not Ernest, and this record describes the same firm as the Lehmann (Ernst Paul Lehmann) entry listed separately in this encyclopedia. Lehmann produced delightful, often whimsical tin clockwork toys that are among the most beloved of all antique toys. Lehmann's toys were exported worldwide and known for clever mechanical actions and cheerful lithography.
Founding
Ernst Paul Lehmann, who founded the works at Brandenburg an der Havel in 1881 — the firm is also listed in this encyclopedia as Lehmann (Ernst Paul Lehmann), and the two records describe the same company.
History of Ernest Lehmann
Lehmann built its reputation on cheap, light, extremely inventive tinplate. Where Bing and Märklin sold weight and engineering, Lehmann sold movement: a flywheel or a simple spring driving a toy that lurched, tumbled, waddled or chased in a way that looked far more elaborate than the mechanism inside it. The tinplate is thin, the lithography is bold, and the mechanisms are minimal by design.
The catalogue is a gallery of period characters and stereotypes — Naughty Boy, Paddy and the Pig, Uncle Sam, Balky Mule, Tut-Tut, the Am Pol polar explorers, Quack-Quack the duck cart. Some of the subject matter is of its time and reads badly now, which is worth knowing before buying; it is also part of why individual toys are so instantly recognisable.
Lehmann exported aggressively and patented heavily, and the "EPL" trademark travelled worldwide. The Brandenburg works fell into the Soviet zone after 1945 and was expropriated; the family re-established the business in Nuremberg, where it eventually became LGB, the large-scale garden railway maker — so the Lehmann name has an unbroken commercial life from 1881 into the present under two entirely different product identities.
Timeline
- 1881Ernst Paul Lehmann founds the works at Brandenburg an der Havel
- 1895Lightweight lithographed novelty toys with simple flywheel and spring drives define the range
- 1903Naughty Boy, Paddy and the Pig and similar character toys become international sellers
- 1945The Brandenburg works is expropriated in the Soviet zone
- 1951The family re-establishes the business in Nuremberg
- 1968The company launches LGB large-scale garden railways
Notable & Best-Selling Toys
- Lehmann 'Uncle Sam' clockwork toy
- Lehmann 'Naughty Boy' motorcycle
- Lehmann 'Paddy and the Pig'
- Lehmann 'Am Pol' motorcycle
- Lehmann 'Quack Quack' duck
- Lehmann EPL 500 auto
Identifying & Dating Ernest Lehmann Toys
- Look for the "EPL" trademark in a shield or oval, lithographed on the toy along with "Lehmann" and "Made in Germany"; patent numbers and lists of foreign patents are commonly printed alongside.
- Individual toys carry their trade name printed on the tin — "Naughty Boy", "Tut-Tut", "Am Pol" — which makes identification straightforward once the lithography is legible.
- Prewar Brandenburg pieces are marked "Brandenburg"; postwar Nuremberg output is different in character and generally later in subject.
Collector's Notes
- Lithography condition is nearly everything. The tin is thin and the printing sits proud of it, so play wear goes straight through to bare metal at every edge and corner.
- Mechanisms are simple but the drive bands, string and small tabs that make them work are easily lost. A toy that still performs its action commands a clear premium.
- Original boxes with the printed character artwork are rare and can be worth as much as the toy. Reproduction Lehmann toys and boxes exist, so compare tab construction and print register against known originals.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was Ernest Lehmann founded?
Ernest Lehmann was founded in 1881, based in Brandenburg, Germany.
Is Ernest Lehmann still in business?
Yes. Ernest Lehmann is still operating today, 145+ years after it was founded.
What is Ernest Lehmann best known for?
Ernest Lehmann is best known for Lehmann 'Uncle Sam' clockwork toy, Lehmann 'Naughty Boy' motorcycle, Lehmann 'Paddy and the Pig', among other toys.
Where was Ernest Lehmann located?
Ernest Lehmann was based in Brandenburg, Germany.
What kinds of toys did Ernest Lehmann make?
Ernest Lehmann is categorized under tin toys, clockwork, novelty toys.
Who founded Ernest Lehmann?
Ernst Paul Lehmann, who founded the works at Brandenburg an der Havel in 1881 — the firm is also listed in this encyclopedia as Lehmann (Ernst Paul Lehmann), and the two records describe the same company.
How can you identify genuine Ernest Lehmann toys?
Look for the "EPL" trademark in a shield or oval, lithographed on the toy along with "Lehmann" and "Made in Germany"; patent numbers and lists of foreign patents are commonly printed alongside. Individual toys carry their trade name printed on the tin — "Naughty Boy", "Tut-Tut", "Am Pol" — which makes identification straightforward once the lithography is legible. Prewar Brandenburg pieces are marked "Brandenburg"; postwar Nuremberg output is different in character and generally later in subject.
Are Ernest Lehmann toys valuable?
Lithography condition is nearly everything. The tin is thin and the printing sits proud of it, so play wear goes straight through to bare metal at every edge and corner. Mechanisms are simple but the drive bands, string and small tabs that make them work are easily lost. A toy that still performs its action commands a clear premium. Original boxes with the printed character artwork are rare and can be worth as much as the toy. Reproduction Lehmann toys and boxes exist, so compare tab construction and print register against known originals.