After nearly 75 years on the market, M.I. Hummel figurines remain one of the leading brand of figurines sought by collectors, regardless of whether they seek new or vintage figurines.

Goebel, which is the exclusive designer and manufacturer of Hummels, 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.

Photo of Stormy Weather Goebel Hummel Figurine by Le Petit Poulailler on Flickr.

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

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.

Photo of Hummel figurines by Jason Pratt on Flickr.

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).

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.