Many people know and love them: the porcelain Hummel figurines. Whereas younger generations are likely to be unfamiliar with these cute ceramic dolls, others will have warm memories of them. It all started with a nun’s drawings. Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel was the founder of Hummel figurines. She got her name during her time spent at a convent, before that she was named Berta Hummel, born in the early 1900s in Bavaria. M.I. Hummel studied at the Academy of Applied Arts in Munich, Germany, before entering a convent and changing her name. She continued to pursue her art and her drawings were published on postcards where Franz Goebel saw them and made an agreement with M.I. Hummel to turn her drawings of innocent children into porcelain figurines. The first figurines emerged in Germany in 1935.
All Hummel figures are handmade from loose parts of molds. They are then hand-painted and distributed. They all take the form of sweet little children who have a pure and innocent appearance, which is perhaps why they became so incredibly popular.
Authentic Hummel porcelain figurines, plates, miniatures, lamps, bells, plaques, and other distinctive collectibles bear a definitive identification mark. All Hummels are inscribed with the name M.I. Hummel, unless the piece is too small to accommodate that insignia. Since 1935, the distinctive copyright symbol featuring a bee flying above the letters "GW" has been modified and currently shows the bee flying over the words "Goebel Germany."
W. Goebel Porzellanfabrik of Rodental, Germany is the only authorized manufacturer and worldwide distributor of Hummels, states Don's Collectibles. Hummel designs are based on the drawings of Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel, a gifted Franciscan nun whose artwork was noticed in 1934 by a Bavarian porcelain manufacturer named Franz Goebel. Goebel suggested that Sister Maria allow her drawings, primarily of Bulgarian children, to be turned into three-dimensional interpretive forms, explains Hummels at a Discount.
The first figurines to be marketed appeared in 1935. Hummel figurines are handcrafted and painted by talented artisans who train as apprentices for three years. Production time for each item varies depending on the complexity of the individual statuette. As many as 700 hand procedures are required for a 6-inch figurine. "The Merry Wanderer" is the favorite motif among M.I. Hummel collectors.
The trademark affects the value In addition to condition and demand, the year in which your Hummel figurine was made affects the value.
Earlier figurines are likely to be more valuable and since the trademark symbol has changed drastically over the years, looking at the trademark - often found on the underside of the statue - can help you determine the value.
Here are some picture of the different trademarks with the corresponding dates.
Maggie's Milford Antiques has a large selection of Hummel's,
Hummel's, M. J. Hummel, Figurines
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