After nearly 75 years on the market, M.I. Hummel figurines remain one of the leading brands of figurines sought by collectors, regardless of whether they seek new or vintage figurines. At prices ranging from a few dollars to a few thousand, antique and collectible lovers have always appreciated having a Hummel in their homes.

Because of their popularity, we have put together an extensive collection of information related to Hummels. And we'll definitely be adding to it over time. Initially we've grouped it into three sections. First, you will find the section of our MI hummel figurines for sale. Then the history of the parties involved in making Hummels. And finally resources for novice and veteran collectors of these fabulous figurines. Whether you are looking for a price list or trying to identify Hummel marks, this section is sure to be have value.

Hummel Figurines For Sale

Gone are the days when you must search from antique mall to garage sale to find the last Hummel figurine for your collection. Now you can buy it online and have it shipped to you. And you will even find a few cheap Hummels at a discount to their expected antique shop prices. To shop until you drop, click here.

The History of Hummel Figurines

This story spans nearly a hundred years and involves four primary players. Berta Hummel, later known as Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel, was the artist who created the inspiration for the figurines. Goebel was the company which recognized the possibility, produced the figurines, and commercialized them. The Convent of Siessen was the source of inspiration for MI Hummel's work and now oversees quality control issues. And Manufaktur Rodental, the company that purchased the rights to produce Goebel Hummel figurines after the company stopped manufacturing them.

About M.I. Hummel

Maria Innocentia Hummel was born Berta Hummel, the third of six brothers and sisters, in Bavaria in 1909. Berta's religious beliefs and artistic abilities were nurtured from an early age. Her talent led her to enroll in the Academy of Applied Arts in Munich in 1927. Upon graduation in 1931 and determined to devote her life and art to the service of God, she entered the Convent of Siessen, taking the name Maria Innocentia.

Her drawings soon found publication as postcards by small German publishers. Her artwork depicting country children became popular and came to the attention of Franz Goebel, who was interested in creating a line of figurines that would provide joy during the Great Depression. Goebel would reach an agreement with Hummel and the Convent on January 9th, 1935, allowing his business to create figurines from her drawings.

Sister Hummel worked with artists at Goebel to create the figurines, which were introduced in March 1935 at the Leipzig Spring Fair and were an immediate success.

Although production of Hummel figurines slowed during World War II, they became in demand again after the war as German families sought to rebuild their homes and soldiers sought momentos to send back home.

In 1946, Sister Hummel died at the age of 37 after a prolonged battle with tuberculosis. However, she left behind numerous drawings on which new figurines were based and an Artistic Board at the Convent of Siessen continues to ensure that Hummels are worthy of her legacy.

About Goebel

Goebel, which was the exclusive designer and manufacturer of Hummels until recently, is an undisputed heavyweight in the figurine industry, tracing its history back over 130 years of production of porcelain items, a product line of approximately 2,300 products, and with its goods available at retailers in almost 100 countries in the world.

F&W Goebel was founded in Germany in 1871 by Franz Detleff Goebel, a porcelain merchant, and his son, William. Initially, they made slate pencils and children's marbles, but they would soon build a porcelain works and begin production of fancy dinnerware and figurines.

William eventually changed the name to W. Goebel Porzellanfabrik and sent his son, Max Louis, to the United States to learn about business in America. Max Louis returned to Germany in 1911 and took leadership of Goebel on his father's death.

After World War I, Goebel became a pioneer in the creation of fine-grained earthenware, which would later be used for the creation of Hummel figurines. When leadership passed to Max Louis' son, Franz Goebel, and son-in-law, Dr. Eugen Stocke, the stage was set for the discovery of M.I. Hummel.

As the popularity of Hummel children grew, Goebel responded with other innovations, such as collectible Hummel plates in 1971 and a club for collectors, the M.I. Hummel Club (originally the Goebel Collector's Club founded in 1977). You can find more information about its involvement with Hummels here.

Although Goebel will always be known for its Hummel figurines, Goebel has also produced a number of other sought-after collectibles and figurines in its nearly 140 year history.

About Manufaktur Rodental

This German corporation purchased the right to make and sell Hummel figurines after Goebel made the decision to stop producing them. You can read more about its decision to buy Hummel and its history here. You can also read news stories about the transition in our collection of Hummel press clippings.

Hummel Collector Resources

One of the most frequently searched topics is related to Hummel values. Everyone knows that they are valuable and collectible but they don't know exactly what their Hummel figurine is worth. While we'll be putting together an extensive price guide in the future, we've put together three resources in the meantime. You should check out this page about Hummel values, this post on How to Value Your Hummel figurines, and this review of Hummel books. Those should hold you over until we are able to come out with our Hummel figurine price list.

If you are new to collecting Hummels, we think you'll appreciate our guides to buying and selling Hummel, as well as this brochure on identifying Hummel marks. We think you'll also find that this guide to figurine care has value as well. We also recommend this guide about how Hummels are made.

If you are interested in connecting with other collectors online or in person, we've put together a list of places of interest online and offline that should be able to satisfy your desire to learn about Hummel.

Thanks for reading. Check out our Hummel figurines for sale now.