This is obviously a Lehmann AHA, a popular and common vehicle made with or without driver in Germany by Lehmann from 1907-35. Unlike all others seen, this one is marked with the Lehmann logo only on the finger winder and nowhere else. The litho and coloring differs in many ways from the “normal” AHA. To start, this one has AHA in large letters on the nose of the car. Usually you see the Lehmann name and logo here.
On the side of the seat it usually says “Made in Germany”, but this one is plain with no print. The rear door are identical with “DRGM” prominently printed to provide a form of copyright protection for a term of years instead of a patent. Underneath the front axle one usually sees lettering claiming a patent, but not so on this one. It is plain there. The roof of most every true AHA is yellow or gold, and very few are white. But this one is white and original (checked by blacklight). But the most striking difference is the unusual litho on the extruding oval sides of the car. In every known AHA there is a large Lehmann company logo with “Marke” stamped below it. Not so on this one. The litho is black over white, thereby matching the roof. But the mystery is in the log that appears below “AHA”. Is this a religious symbol? A logo for a club or organization? What does this mean? The speculation would be that this AHA was of a small run of toys produced to fulfill an order that required the 6 point star logo. Lehmann did on many occasions produce toys per order, such as the Seconnet Tap Tap, the Fry’s Chocolate Adam, the Stiller sedan and others. And if there is any doubt that Lehmann made this toy, take a look at the last picture where a small round gear retainer appears, held in with 6 tabs. The careful collector recognizes the white and red scrap material from which the small disc was stamped to make the part. That scrap is unmistakably from the metal used to make the leg of the Adam toy (and possibly some others.) The Adam toy was first produced in 1914. So we must assume that this very unusual AHA was probably made between 1914 and 1935. If anyone knows of another, please let me know.
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