Hummel figurines

Life-size reproduction of a Hummel figurine "Merry Wanderer" at the entrance of the Goebel company in Rödental, Germany

Hummel figurines (also known as M.I. Hummel figurines or simply Hummels) are a series of porcelain figurines based on the drawings of Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel, O.S.F.

History

The sketch art of Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel began to appear in the 1930s in Germany and Switzerland, mostly pastoral drawings of children. The German art publisher Ars Sacra was involved in the early popularization of the art on postcards. Hummel's "art cards" became popular throughout Germany, catching the eye of Franz Goebel, porcelain maker and head of W. Goebel Porzellanfabrik. Goebel acquired rights to turn Hummel's drawing into figurines, producing the first line in 1935.^[1] 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. By the end of the year, 46 M.I. Hummel motifs were on the market, sold in America at Marshall Field & Co. of Chicago and other American retailers.^[2]

After the end of World War II, the popularity of Hummel figurines grew as American soldiers stationed in West Germany began sending the figurines home as gifts.^[3] Nostalgia associated with the figurines and the U.S. soldiers buying them led to Hummel figurines becoming a popular collector's item. Popularity increased even more when the figurines were sold by the Army PX system. As travel to Europe became more commonplace, the figurines, with their folkloric appearance, were often purchased as souvenirs.^[4] A vibrant speculator market in Hummel figurines developed in the 1970s, and Hummel figurines skyrocketed in price.^[5] M.I. Hummel collector plates made by Goebel and sold by the Goebel Collectors Club, were a prominent item in the Bradford Exchange, a supplier of collectible plates.^[6] Today, figurine offerings include traditional M.I. Hummel figurines, special limited editions, a figurine series featuring Swarovski crystal elements, the Hope Series that donates a portion of the proceeds to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Annual Angels, and more. Retail prices for authentic M.I. Hummel figurines range from just over $100 for simple figurines to well over $1,000 for larger and more intricate pieces.^[7] There is also an active second-hand market for the figurines.

Production of Hummel figurines by Goebel was taken over in early 2009 by Manufaktur Rödental GmbH under the direction of Jörg Köster.^[8][9] Following the 2013 bankruptcy of Manufaktur Rödental, a new international management team took over the M.I. Hummel figurine business in 2014. Figurine production continued in Germany under Hummel Manufaktur GmbH, with North American distribution handled by Newboden Brands. M.I. Hummel figurines continue to be produced in the original factory in Rödental, Germany, where they have been made since 1935. They are still created with the strict oversight of the Convent of Siessen, where Sister M.I. Hummel lived and worked.^[10]

In September 2017 this company also declared bancrupty.^[11] On December 22 of 2017, it became public news that Bernd Foertsch, a businessman from Kulmbach, intended to acquire Hummel Manufaktur. The acquisition has meanwhile been completed. Bernd Foertsch now wants the company to undergo a process of restructuring. He will put the company’s focus on direct sales and an extensive community concept to integrate the huge collectors’ community.^[12] The annual production of figurines shall be reduced from 55,000 to 20,000. Moreover, no figurine being smaller than ten centimeters or being cheaper than €100 shall be manufactured any more.

M.I. Hummel Club

In 1977, The Goebel Collector’s Club was founded in the U.S. The Club was to be an information service for the growing number of M.I. Hummel collectors. In 1989, the Club expanded internationally and the name changed to the M.I. Hummel Club. Still in operation today, the Club offers an array of membership benefits including a quarterly magazine, INSIGHTS, and Club Exclusive figurines created just for members. A free gift figurine is sent every year to those who join or renew their membership. There are Club Conventions, a European travel program and other benefits. A network of Local Chapters was organized in 1978 and spread across North America and the world. Local Chapter members meet in person to share knowledge and friendship.^[13]

Books about Hummel figurines

Many books and price guides have been published about Hummel figurines.^[14] Some of these works supported the secondary market interest of collector speculators; The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide: Figurines and Plates, 2nd Edition, by Heidi Ann Von Recklinghausen is a current price guide, published in 2013. Another respected guide, The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel, written by Robert L. Miller, was last updated as a 10th Edition in 2006.^[15]

The best selling quarto-size art book about Hummel figurines, Hummel: The Complete Collector's Guide and Illustrated Reference, was authored by author Eric Ehrmann, who conducted extensive interviews with members of the family of Maria Innocentia Hummel and visited her ancestral home in Massing, Bavaria. Author Eric Ehrmann also visited the Kloster Siessen where Sister Hummel lived and sketched in Saulgau and interviewed Sister Radegundis Wespel, the director of the convent. He also conducted extensive research at the archives of W. Goebel Porzellanfabrik at Roedental, Bavaria, West Germany and interviewed workers as well as executives of the company including Wilhelm Goebel himself. The large art book format featuring life-size color photography of the figurines was an overnight success in the summer of 1976 when it was published by the Portfolio Press of Huntington, New York.

A later volume, The Hummel Album, was published in 1992 by Portfolio Press. A team of writers, designers and photographers worked with the figurine manufacturer to tell the M.I. Hummel story.^[16]

Museums

Das Berta-Hummel-Museum im Hummelhaus opened in 1994 in the Hummel family home in Massing, Germany, the birthplace of the artist Berta Hummel, later known as Sister Maria Innocentia. Berta Hummel’s nephew Alfred Hummel and his daughter, Veronika direct the museum which houses the largest collection of M.I. Hummel figurines in Europe as well as the paintings and drawings of Berta Hummel completed before she joined the Convent.^[17]

Donald Stephens, longtime mayor of Rosemont, Illinois, was a prolific collector of Hummel figurines. In 1984, Stephens donated his collection to the Village of Rosemont to be displayed in a museum. The Donald E. Stephens Museum of Hummels opened in its current location in Rosemont on March 13, 2011.^[18] The museum purports to be the largest collection of Hummel figurines in the world.^[19]

In popular culture

Hummel figurines have been referenced multiple times in popular culture:

• On the television series Seinfeld, in the episode "The Pony Remark", there is a reference to Jerry's auntie's Hummel collection.
• On a television series JAG, in the episode "Someone to Watch over Annie", "Harriet Simms" is revealed to be a Hummel figurine collector.
• In the TV series Glee, the character "Kurt Hummel" is named for the Hummel figurines.^[20]
• In the television series Gilmore Girls, a Hummel collection of Kyle's mother is broken during the fight between Dean and Jess (season 3, episode 20).
• In the web series Ask That Guy with the Glasses, Hummel figures are implied to be satanic.
• In the South Park episode "Do the Handicapped Go to Hell?," Satan is shown placing Hummel figurines in a display case, and asks his boyfriend Chris if he has seen his "Boy With An Umbrella" Hummel. Hummel figurines are also a primary source of conflict in the episode "Hummels & Heroin".
• In the 2004 comedy film Team America: World Police, Kim Jong-il can be seen walking past his collection of Hummel figurines when he sings "I'm So Ronery".
• In a 2011 episode of The Mentalist, human behavioral expert (and the titular "mentalist") Patrick Jane is surprised to learn "supercop" J. J. Laroche, a CBI chief, collects Hummel figurines when Jane visits Laroche's home for the first time.
• The Simpsons' sixteenth season episode "Home Away From Homer" reveals that Ned Flanders has a sizable collection of "Humble" figurines, a parody of Hummels. The series also references Hummel figurines in the episode "Principal Charming" when Marge mentions that her sister Selma enjoys Hummel figurines.
• In the Charmed episode "Size Matters", Piper mentions that her great-aunt Sylvia collects Hummel figurines.
• In the 2002 film About Schmidt, the title character buys some Hummel figurines at an antique store in memory of his wife who collected the figurines.
• In the Richard Bachman novel, The Regulators, Johnny enters the Carvers' home and laughs under his breath at their Hummel figurines which have been placed on little platforms.
• In the Breaking Bad episode "Open House," Marie steals a Hummel during a relapse of her kleptomania. In Better Call Saul, set in the same universe, an elderly lady drawing up her will calls on Jimmy's excellent memory when it comes to distributing her Hummel collection in "Alpine Shepherd Boy". Later, in the episode "Something Beautiful", Jimmy hires someone to steal a valuable Hummel figurine from a copy shop.
• In the TV series Bloodline, Eric O'Bannon trades in his mother's Hummel figurine at a local pawn shop to obtain an object of lesser monetary value but of great significance.
• In the film The Accountant (2016), the character Christian smashes several of his mother's Hummel figurines. One that he keeps in the trailer seen later is called "Gone A Wandering #908".
• In the feature film Slaughterhouse Five a US POW conscripted by Nazis to rebuild a town bombed by Allied forces finds a pristine Hummel in a rubble pile. Despite being warned not to take any found objects, he pockets the Hummel to give it to his wife back in the US. He is immediately executed by firing squad for his infraction.
• On Elementary, in season 2's episode 2, "Search for X", Sherlock Holmes makes a metaphor, comparing his interest in Joan Watson's interest in paying him a debt with Hummel figurines.
• Dr. Mark Greene in [ER] references his mother's Hummel collection to friend Dr. Doug Ross in the episode "[Fathers and Sons]."
• In the stage comedy "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" the character Masha tells her siblings her Snow White outfit was mistaken for a Hummel Figurine costume.

References

in the episode 16 of season 4 of Suits, there is a reference of the secretary of Louis (Norma) who always talked about her hummelfigures.

External links

• Manufaktur Rödental. Home Page. retrieved April 14, 2011
• W. Goebel Porzellanfabrik GmbH & Co. KG. Goebel. "About M.I. Hummel" retrieved January 12, 2007
• W. Goebel Porzellanfabrik GmbH & Co. KG. M.I. Hummel. "Craftsmanship". retrieved January 12, 2007