Bear, GÜNTHERMANN. Germany, 1920s.Painted tin, wood and fabric.Manufacturer: Günthermann.Wind-up mechanism, in working conditionMeasurements: 20 x 8 x 10 cm.Bear holding with his paws U.S.A. flag, painted in brown color. The winding mechanism is in working order.Beginning in 1877, master bottle maker Siegfried Günthermann manufactured tinplate toys by hand in a small workshop under the company name S. Günthermann - Mechanische Blechspielwarenfabrik. In 1878 the company expanded and moved to larger premises. Tin figures, cars, racing cars, carriages, carriages, floor runners and fire departments were initially produced, hand-painted and then lithographed. Most of the production was shipped to the U.S. Initially, the toys were equipped with a coiled spring winding mechanism, which was later replaced by a clockwork mechanism, initially obtained from abroad and manufactured in-house since 1883. The mechanical animals enjoyed great popularity. Günthermann died in 1886 and left the business to his widow Marie née Mack. This she ran first alone and then with her second husband, the entrepreneur Adolf Weigel. The company seal, originally a circle depicting the letters "S G" on a shield-shaped background, was supplemented with the additional initials "A G" under Weigel. In 1895 the business premises had to be expanded again. Business flourished and in 1900 construction began on new premises, which were ready to move into by mid-1901. At that time, the company had about 250 employees. Weigel died in 1920 and left the company to his widow, whose management was taken over by Weigel's son. This also reinstated the old SG company logo. After the war, the company made a name for itself abroad with detailed models of limousines, buses, rollers and commercial vehicles. Since there were no successors in the Günthermann / Weigel family, the company was taken over by Siemens in 1965 and eventually dissolved.