Solved: Wendax 345 - Umba 4/14 PS

[pnegyesi]

well, that's bad news. It's only available in a library in Leipzig and I don't plan to go there. But it may appear in a digital library at some point.

[pnegyesi]

There is a long list of things I'd like to do at the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek this week. One of them is a small attempt to identify some of the Black Hole cars.

And I have my first victory. This is the Umba Kleinauto with a 770 cc 4,4/14 PS engine by the Umba Auto AG (Hamburg 23 Pappelallee 41-43). If Wendax doesn't publish the article, I'll scan it tomorrow

[Wendax]

 
Doctor rerum automobilium strikes again! After more than seven years this puzzle is solved, although this car isn't mentioned in any book I know. Rarely ever were two points well deserved as these.

The article below as well as the first ad are from July 25, 1924, the second ad is from August 8, 1924. The company was founded on October 17, 1923.

[Allemano]

Congratulations Pal, that was one of the toughest ever! I'm wondering how many of these were built.




Wo

[pnegyesi]

Staatsarchiv Hamburg holds several papers related to Umba Auto. I am trying to get copies of those.

Oh, and Wendax, this was a great idea - this magazine had lots of interesting articles on one-off or unknown cars over the years. But no, I will not post those as puzzles

[Wendax]

Why not? 

[pnegyesi]

A letterhead

The name "Umba" came from Ing. Curt Umbach, who was one of the founders.

[Wendax]

 

[Wendax]

Mentioned in the 1923/1924 edition of the Handbuch der deutschen Aktiengesellschaften, the next year it couldn't be found there anymore: