Author Topic: Collectibles!  (Read 164261 times)

Offline David In Indy

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Re: Hummels!
« Reply #10 on: December 20, 2008, 04:17:31 am »
This Hummel is actually an advertising sign for a store. Even though it is a sign, it is still considered a Hummel figurine. They are very rare and difficult to obtain because the retailers do not like to part with them. This is one of the Hummels I bought at the jewelry store that was going out of business.



One of the things I love about Hummels is all the intricate detail. Just look at this. You can see him working out his math problem on his little slate board!


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Offline David In Indy

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Re: Hummels!
« Reply #11 on: December 20, 2008, 04:20:27 am »
Here is another Hummel sign. I bought this one at Cafe Heidelburg, a German bakery and gift shop here in Indianapolis. The owners are from Germany and it's fun to go there because the owners and many of the customers can be heard speaking German. They also play German music on the store speakers. You really feel like you are in Germany when you walk in there. They sell all kinds of things including food (canned goods, chips, cookies and other things) from Germany and lots of German collectables including Hummels!

I can't remember why he was selling his sign, but I bought it without hesitating. These signs are very difficult to find...




The little figure on the sign is called "Merry Wanderer" and he is one of the very first (and most popular) of the Hummel figurines. I used to have Merry Wanderer but I sold him with many of my other Hummels years ago.  :'(

At least I have him on the sign!
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Offline David In Indy

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Re: Hummels!
« Reply #12 on: December 20, 2008, 04:23:05 am »
Hummels are not always figurines! They also make Hummel bells, Hummel Christmas ornaments, Hummel ashtrays (who in their right mind would put their cigarette out in a Hummel?!), Hummel lamps, music boxes, holy water fonts, and plates!!

I bought this Hummel plate the year my niece Christy was born, in honor of her birth - 1979. It is roughly 8 inches from one side of the plate to the other.


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Offline David In Indy

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Re: Hummels!
« Reply #13 on: December 20, 2008, 04:26:56 am »
I also have several Lladro's I bought when I was in Spain back in 1982.

This Lladro reminded me of my beagle when I was a kid. Her name was Droopy. This figurine is approximately 8 or 9 inches tall...




Mom and I both saw this next one and we fell in love with it, so the day before we left Spain we decided to get it. She paid for half of it, and I paid for the other half. It is about 7 inches tall...




This next one is not actually a Lladro. It is made by the Lladro company, but it is called NAO. You can find these all over Spain. They are not quite as expensive as the Lladro figurines. We managed to find very good deals on all these figurines though, and in Spain you can purchase Lladros for roughly half of what they sell for here in the US. This NAO figurine is quite large, about 10 or 11 inches tall. This one reminded Mom of me and my sister when we were small kids...


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Offline David In Indy

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Re: Hummels!
« Reply #14 on: December 20, 2008, 05:04:11 am »
Do you collect any figurines? Or anything interesting? If so, please include them in this thread! :D
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Offline Kelda

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Re: Hummels!
« Reply #15 on: December 20, 2008, 07:30:51 am »
My mum has a few hummels and ladros and my sister has one or two ladros - I'll try to take some pics and post here.
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Offline Fran

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Re: Hummels!
« Reply #16 on: December 20, 2008, 11:02:49 am »
David, interesting thread!  One of my sisters started collecting Hummels years ago, but she didn't get too far.  I don't believe she has more than a dozen.  (She got married and had twins, and then Real Life interfered.) When my nephews were very little, the Hummels ended up in a curio cabinet at my parents' house for safekeeping, but that was years ago.  I assume they're back at my sister's house, but unfortunately she doesn't have them on display.  I'm going to ask her about them.

Thanks for posting the pictures of the Hummels in your collection. The bank one is cool.  I like the ones with the signs, too.  I can see why you bought those.  Good luck in expanding your collection, if that's what you decide to do. 

Offline southendmd

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Re: Hummels!
« Reply #17 on: December 20, 2008, 11:03:20 am »
A little info from Wiki:

Hummel or the trademark M.I. Hummel is a series of ceramic figurines based on the illustrations by the German nun Maria Innocentia Hummel (neé Berta Hummel) .
 
Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel's works were discovered by Franz Goebel after a small publisher began printing her artwork as postcards. Goebel started production of the figurines under the authorization of the convent of Siessen. Although sister Hummel died in 1946 from tuberculosis, Goebel carried her legacy of her design.

The first Hummel figurines were sold in 1935. The figurines are all based on the drawings and paintings of children by sister Hummel. Though much of the art was done in the 1930s, the newer figurines have adopted a more contemporary appearance.

In addition to figurines of children, there are figurines of saints - a stylistic departure from the figurines of playful children.

Goebel announced on 2008-06-18 that the Hummel line will be discontinued.  (Oh, no, David!)  :o

At the Goebel company, Hummel figurines are made out of porcelain. The body is bisque fired, dipped in glaze, and painted using oil and turpentine based colors which contain metallic oxides as pigments.

All Hummel Figurines have backstamps that determine the year of production.

Offline southendmd

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Re: Hummels!
« Reply #18 on: December 20, 2008, 11:06:37 am »

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

David, that looks like your "Merry Wanderer".

Offline southendmd

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Re: Hummels!
« Reply #19 on: December 20, 2008, 11:12:18 am »
Nice stories, David.  I hope you didn't have to sell any of the family ones.  Too sad.

My mom has a collection of Hummels:  a cabinet full of the typical children, a few religious ones (Madonnas and the like), and a complete nativity scene, even with manger. 

Some of them have little paper labels with their titles.  My favorite was two little children, a boy and a girl, under the protection of a guardian angel.  It's pretty big. 


Mom doesn't always put up the nativity scene, but it's very special.  There's a hole in the back of the manger/barn where you can put a single light bulb, and a little shooting star to put on top.  Here's a photo, but with a different manger: