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Goebel History

125 Years of Artistry and Excellence
The year was 1871. The place, Thuringia, a region of Germany long noted for exquisite porcelain. In the ancient town of Oeslau, Franz Detleff Goebel and his son, William, were founding a firm.

Franz Detleff Goebel was a porcelain merchant with an ambition to own his own operation. At first, Franz and William Goebel made slate pencils and children's marbles, since they lacked the money and means to produce porcelain. What's more, the Coburg Duke, fearing fires, refused to allow a porcelain operation in town.

But Franz Detleff was determined to produce porcelain in Oeslau. He had wisely selected the spot for its plentiful labor, access to rich clay deposits, and the running waters of the River Roeden. (Oeslau was later renamed Rödental after its lifeblood, the river.)

After a few years, armed with profits from the slate and marble business, Franz Detleff urgently petitioned the Duke. He was given a tract of land on the outskirts of town and permission to build his porcelain works.

In 1876, the first building was erected. In 1879, the Goebels fired up their first kiln.

In the early days, the firm produced mostly fancy dinnerware and figurines. But as Franz Detleff grew older, he deferred to his son, who had an eye for spotting trends.

William expanded the product line and changed the company name to W.Goebel Porzellanfabrik. William was convinced of the importance of the American market. Determined to tap the trends overseas and develop a U.S. product line, he sent his 16-year-old son, Max Louis, to America.

The dynamic young man earned his own way in America, working with Marshall Field and other big U.S. firms. By 1911 Max Louis Goebel was back in Oeslau armed with business know-how and ready to launch W. Goebel Porzellanfabrik into the 20th century.

New Tastes, New Targets
Max Louis took charge of the family firm after his father's death. At the dawn of the 20th century, Europe was becoming more urban and industrial. Goebel was determined to appeal to the taste and income of a new working class.

Max Louis attracted some of Europe's finest sculptors to Goebel's studios. He established relationships with contemporary artists, using popular artwork as the basis of decorative figurines.

In the aftermath of World War I, alarming inflation forced many German companies to close. But W. Goebel Porzellanfabrik survived and never stopped innovating. In 1926, fine-grained earthenware was added to the Goebel repertoire. This versatile new material enhanced the firm's product line. And the stage was set for the development of M.I.Hummel figurines, just on the horizon.

The year 1929 rocked W. Goebel Porzellanfabrik to its foundations. First came the death of Max Louis Goebel, after 18 years as the head of the firm. Then came the crash of the American stock market.

The passing of Max Louis marked the end of an innovative era. But luckily, two able businessmen were waiting in the wings. The torch was passed to Max Louis' son and son-in-law, Franz Goebel and Dr. Eugen Stocke.

With the stock market crash, the world plunged into economic crisis, and with it plunged Germany, already crippled by rampant inflation. Goebel attempted to maintain business as usual. But now more than ever, survival depended upon innovation. In 1931, Goebel's product line included vases, ashtrays, lamps, candle holders, bookends, and of course, figurines.

The Figurines That Changed Goebel History
In 1934, Franz Goebel was searching for something new. Like his predecessors at the helm of W.Goebel Porzellanfabrik, Franz understood his market. He believed that in a world of political turmoil, customers would respond to a product depicting the gentle innocence of children.

The artwork of a Franciscan Sister, Maria Innocentia Hummel, a gifted, academy-trained artist, came to Franz's attention. Her drawings of country children had been printed as art cards and were becoming quite popular. An enthusiastic Franz, with the approval of senior sculptors Arthur Moeller and Reinhold Unger, decided to pursue the creation of figurines based on the artwork of Sister M.I.Hummel.

The artist was contacted at her home, the Convent of Siessen, and shown clay models. With assurances that she would personally approve the sculpting and painting of each piece...that a facsimile of her signature would appear on each piece...and that Franz Goebel himself would oversee the production process, Sister Hummel and the Convent of Siessen granted sole rights to Goebel to create ceramic figurines based on her original artwork.

A new palette of warm colors was created to duplicate the tone and feeling of the artwork. It was determined that earthenware, pioneered by Goebel in the 1920's, was the proper medium for the new line. Moeller and Unger became the "fathers" of M.I.Hummel figurines, their work based on friendly and frank cooperation with Sister Hummel.

The new product line was launched in March, 1935, at the Leipzig Spring Fair -- a major show for the industry. The reception to the first M.I.Hummel motifs was enthusiastic. The line was an immediate success!

When World War II began, the German government allowed M.I.Hummel figurines to be made for export only and directed Goebel to produce dinnerware for the military. Despite hardships, the Goebel family maintained their relationship with Sister Hummel, and some new figurines were modeled and approved. The artist's fragile health suffered during the war years, when fuel was scarce and she was forced to work in a cold, unheated space.

It took time for Germany to recover once the war ended. But the German people slowly began to spruce up their homes and exchange gifts. They remembered the timeless appeal of M.I.Hummel figurines and asked for them in shops. American soldiers occupying Germany wanted mementos to send home. M.I.Hummel figurines were in demand once again.

A Tragic Passing
In 1946, following a prolonged respiratory illness eventually diagnosed as tuberculosis, Sister M.I. Hummel died at age 37. Despite this tragedy, the production of her beloved figurines never ceased. Sister Hummel was a prolific artist and left behind a treasure-trove of drawings on which to base new figurines. The Convent of Siessen appointed an Artistic Board to carry out the legacy of Sister Hummel. All clay models and painted figurines would be approved by this board. And so they are, to this day.

A New Generation
During the postwar years, Goebel enjoyed remarkable expansion and evolution. The factory was modernized, kilns updated, techniques improved. But traditional handcrafting and handpainting was strictly maintained.

In 1969, Franz Goebel passed away. His son, Wilhelm Goebel, inherited the leadership of the firm, sharing it with Eugen and Ulrich Stocke.

Innovations and development continued. When Goebel issued its first annual M.I.Hummel plate in 1971, plates quickly became prized collectibles.

M.I.Hummel children were now the world's most beloved figurines. To respond to the enthusiasm of collectors, Goebel introduced another innovation -- the first collector's club. The Goebel Collector's Club was founded in 1977. By 1989, the Club had expanded internationally and the name was changed to the M.I. Hummel Club®.