Goebel Figurines
Goebel figurines are avidly collected worldwide. A wide range of subjects exist and all are produced to a high quality which makes them an attractive and often valuable addition to any figurine collection.
The German, Goebel company was founded in 1871 by Franz Detleff Goebel and his son, William. The very first, porcelain figures appeared in 1890 and by 1933 the company had established an extensive range of items. Probably the most collectible Goebel pieces are the M.I Hummel figurines and I have devoted this article to them for that reason. Goebel have, of course, produced some very fine ceramics in addition to the Hummel figurines and I hope to discuss their full range in separate articles in due course.
The M.I Hummel figurines were created as a result of an enterprising collaboration between the German factory, W. Goebel Porzellanfabrik and a talented, German artist, Sister Maria Innocentia (Berta) Hummel who was born in Bavaria in 1909. They were first introduced at the Leipzig Fair in 1935 and became immediately popular. Today, they still have a very strong following, especially in the US and Germany. The range of figurines has now grown to over 500 and many collectors now specialise within a specific design niche.
If you intend to collect these figurines then there are three, main points that can influence value. And they are the date of the figurine, its size and any variations in the modelling or colour.
As you’d expect, the earlier models (1930′s – 1940′s) fetch the highest prices. The marks on the base can give a clear indication of when they were manufactured. The impressed ‘Crown’ mark usually denotes the earlier figures as this was used between 1936 to 1950. But, if printed together with the words ‘Goebel’ and ‘Germany’ then the figurine will date from between 1991 and 2000.
The mark that identifies a Hummel is the so-called, ‘Bee in a V’ mark. This was used between 1940 to 1980. The design of this mark did change slightly over the years and this can be important. Usually, the larger the bee is, the earlier the piece will be. By 1958, the bee motif had been reduced in size and had also been positioned inside the ‘V.’
The impressed numbers refer to the mould number – collectors call this the ‘Hum number’ – and the size. Numbers or Roman numerals after a ‘/ ‘ refer to size. Roman numerals denote a larger than standard size – basically this means that the higher the number the larger the figurine. Conversely, the Arabic numbers indicate a smaller than standard size – the higher the number then the smaller the piece. Larger figurines will fetch the higher prices over the standard size figures. You need to be aware of any variations in colour or in the moulded forms as this can affect value.
Some of the figures were remodelled over the years and it is the earlier examples that are the most desirable. All genuine, Hummel figurines are properly marked so an unmarked piece is likely to be a fake, probably made in the Far East.
Hummels can suffer from damage quite easily so care has to be taken when being displayed and handled. Too much crazing on a figure can reduce its value and, generally speaking, the models that are no longer being produced will be the most valuable, so it is a good idea to have a current reference book to check production dates.
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