Who hasn't't heard of the Hummel line of Goebel figurines? These beautifully crafted porcelain figurines have been around since 1935. Created from art work drawn by a Franciscan nun, Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel, they became the best selling porcelain pieces of the entire line of Goebel figurines.
Goebel closed its doors in 2008 but they were bought out by a firm located near Frankfurt, Germany and will continue to be produced, some still based on Sister Hummel's artwork. Many of the original craftsmen, some now in their 70s, have been rehired to continue this wonderful tradition of producing fine porcelain figurines.
The Hummel line of Goebel figurines have become a valuable collectible over the years. A fan club of the Hummel line sprang up in American over 20 years ago and has over 13,000 members worldwide. A quick check on eBay will assure you that these pieces are still very much in demand. Prices for one piece can go up into thousands of dollars. There is a Hummel line of Goebel figurines piece titled "Forever Friends" that recently sold for ,650.00 on eBay. A woman found a Hummel figurine at a garage sale and paid two dollars. The following week, she sold it for close to five hundred dollars.
Goebel marked all of their Hummel line of Goebel figurines on the bottom of each piece. Sister Hummel passed away in 1937 but up until that time, she signed all the Hummel pieces. Some other Goebel marks to look for are a double crown, a picture of a bee trademark, the word Goebel, and a mold number. The mark used from 1991 until Goebel closed its doors is a bee over the word Goebel with the word Germany underneath.
If you enjoy browsing through thrift stores and going to yard sales, you might just be lucky enough to find one of these very collectible Hummel line of Goebel figurines.
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