I get many questions about Goebel and Hummel Figurines. One that has been asked most frequently is “What’s the difference between a Hummel figurine and a Goebel figurine?”
In this article I will go over what and if there is a difference between the two figurines.
Goebel: A pottery company that first began during 1871. The Goebel company was originally well-known for their porcelain works of art. Prior to the introduction of Goebel’s M.I. Hummel line, the company produced many porcelain animal figurines and bowls. It wasn’t until 1935 that the original owner’s grandson, Franz Goebel made an agreement with artist Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel whereby the company was able to produce 3 dimensional porcelain representations of her drawings. Hummels put the Goebel company on the map.
Hummels: Hummels are porcelain ornaments produced by the Goebel company. Hummels became increasingly popular after World War II and many today are worth thousands upon thousands of dollars. Each Hummel tells a different story with hundreds of them being produced under the Goebel company.
Goebel vs Hummel Figurines
Goebel is the parent company that makes high quality porcelain products including:
Tableware – plates, cups, bowls etc…
Figurines – Goebel and Hummel
Homewares – lamps, bookends, ashtrays, waterfont
Dolls – Hummel
Artwork – Hummel
Christmas items
Goebel was established in 1971 by Franz Oetleff Goebel and his son (William.) The company was originally named F.& W. Goebel and was based in Oeslau (now known as Rodental) Germany.
The company name changed to W.Goebel Porzellarfabrik in the early 1900’s when Franz Retired and his son William took over. At this time Goebel began to produce high quality porcelain tableware and figurines.
Goebel makes a wide range of figurines outside of Hummels. However they are best known for their Hummel figurines.
In 1934 the grandson of Franz came across the postcards by Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel (Berta Hummel 1900 – 1946). The images depicted on these postcards would lead to the Hummels we know today.
You can see the Full History Of Hummel Figurines Here. The first Hummel figurine was produced by Goebel in 1935.
The Answer
Now to answer the question of what is the difference between Goebel and Hummel Figurines.
Due to Hummel figurines being the most popular and well known product Goebel made, the company is often confused as the Hummel Goebel Company.
This is incorrect. Goebel is the company that produces Hummel Figurines along with many other products. Goebel Figurines has different lines that are produced by Goebel, one of these lines is Hummel Figurines.
Conclusion
Hummel Figurines are made by Goebel. This makes Hummels only one line in the Goebel product catalog. While unfortunately the Goebel company ceased production of Hummels in 2008, the true Hummels crafted between 1934 and cease of production were stamped with one of the many Goebel company symbols.
What the Difference Between Hummel and Goebel Collectibles Is. Hummels originated from the artwork of a Bavarian nun, which was discovered by porcelain shop owner Goebel, who created the now-famous figurines.
Goebel acquired rights to turn Hummel's drawing into figurines, producing the first line in 1935. The figurines were introduced at the Leipzig Trade Fair, a major European show for the industry. Goebel was known for presenting new and novel products that attracted American distributors.
While modestly priced Hummels dominate the market, exceptional examples of these rosy-cheeked children can sell between several hundred to several thousand dollars. Some, such as the “Adventure Bound” figure group, have reached prices over $4,000.
As more Hummel figurines were produced and countless "special editions" were created, the resale value of these ceramics began to sink. The supply of Hummels just keeps growing as the generations that collected Hummels pass away, leaving behind thousands of their diminishing-value dust-collectors.
Hummel collectible figurines came about when a porcelain shop owner discovered the postcard images created by a Bavarian nun in 1934. Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel's religious drawings and paintings, mostly of children, were transformed into porcelain figurines by Franz Goebel.
The most collectible Hummels are the earliest ones, the ones produced between 1935 and 1949. The "Merry Wanderer" figurine is one of the most popular, with its price ranging from $75 to $2,000, depending on the model year.
While most Hummels go for $50, some of them are worth a few hundred dollars, and rare Hummels can sell for up to 5-figures during auctions. If you have a Hummel figurine, but you're not sure what it's worth, stick around. It might be a hidden gem.
Younger generations have little interest in buying them. Most used Hummels now sell for no more than $75 in shops, with prices likely to continue to fall as more Hummels reach the market. Other cute little figurines have suffered a similar fate.
German (Göbel): from the personal name Göbel, a pet form of the Old High German name Godebert, composed of the elements gōd 'good' or god 'god' + berht 'bright, famous'. Compare Cable and Gobel .
2000 By the turn of the millennium, Goebel is one of the most important porcelain brands, with pieces residing in many museums and collections worldwide.
eBay and eWorldTrade have long been the go-to places for buying and selling collectibles such as Hummel figurines. eBay offers a wide range of items from all over the world at competitive prices, making it a great option for those looking to buy or sell Hummels quickly and easily.
Hummel International Sport & Leisure A/S, commonly known as Hummel (stylized hummel), is a German-founded Danish manufacturing company of sportswear brand based in Aarhus. It is owned by Thornico.
Since our current owner Christian Stadil entered the company back in 1999, COMPANY KARMA has been a solid cornerstone in hummel's business strategy. It's no secret that we're an ambitious sportswear brand.
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