Goebel figurines were originally manufactured in the 1800’s in Germany. After about fifty years, the company was introduced to the work of Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel. Sister Hummel had shown promise as a young artist and studied art, but ultimately pursued her religious vocation while continuing to design beautiful works of art that came to be manufactured by the Goebel Company. Ultimately, Goebel became by far best known for being the manufacturer of the MI Hummel line.
There is some confusion about the relationship between Goebel and Hummel figurines. MI Hummel figurines were manufactured by Goebel, and not the other way around. Goebel also adapted the art of many other artists into its figurines. This confusion is compounded by the relatively recent demise of the Goebel company, and the sale of its assets and trademarks to another company. Manufacturing continues, and there is even confusion about whether alleged Goebel figurines manufactured in places like Thailand are authentic.
Goebel employed a number of trademarks on its works which were produced on the bottom of each. Those items created by its master sculptors also bear their names. Sister MI Hummel signed those items derived from her work until her untimely death at an early age. Goebel trademarks can be found easily on the internet, and there are collectors groups dedicated to not only the widely popular Hummels, but also to the broader genre of Goebels.
Hummel figurines are always in great demand. They may be the most sought after type of figurines in the world. If you look up sales of Hummel figurines at on-line auction sites, you will see that they routinely trade in the thousands of dollars. The market for Goebel figurines of other styles are not so expensive, and are within the financial means of a much broader range of devotees.
People go about building their collections of these figurines in different ways. Some people are interested in only acquiring the figures that have already built up value. This would include older, hard to find figures as well as recently retired pieces. Others prefer to build their collection for future value and purchase more modern designs at a relatively low price.
If you intend to become a collector of these items, it would be very wise to familiarize yourself with their markings. There are collectors groups to be found on the internet who produce newsletters and a great deal of information about the items and the marketplace.
