Generations of Excellence
M. I. Hummel®
156088
"Generations of Excellence"
Collectors Set
Includes
1 - 151721 "Merry Wanderer" Figurine
1 - 818196 "Generations of Excellence" Display
1 - Wearable Paint Palette pin
Dimensions
Merry Wanderer: 4" tall x 2-1/4" wide x 1-1/2" deep
Factory: 5-1/4" tall x 5-1/2" wide x 3-1/2" deep
Painter's Pallet pin: 1-3/4" wide
Crafted in cold cast porcelain and hand painted, "Generations of
Excellence" was sculpted to complement the
introduction of this special edition of "Merry Wanderer" (Hum 11/2/0).
"Generations of Excellence" was only
available for purchase during the 130th Anniversary Celebration, and on
the retirement of the edition,
all molds were destroyed, under the guidance of Goebel.
This collection pays tribute the 130th Anniversary of the W. Goebel
Porzellanfabrik, founded in 1871,
and to the artistry of Sister Maria Innocentia (born Berta Hummel) also
known as M. I. Hummel.
In 1935, Franz Goebel, a forth generation owner, introduced the first M.
I. Hummel® figurines,
using Berta Hummel's drawings as the inspiration for the delightful
porcelain figurines.
When they first appeared on the German market, they were an instant hit
with the public,
which was then under the Nazi dictatorship of Adolf Hitler. Her naive,
yet sentimental figurines reminded
buyers of the peaceful world of innocence that they no longer enjoyed.
Insisting on maintaining the highest standards, Berta Hummel required
the artisans from the
Goebel factory come to her, at the Convent of Siessen, to consult with
her on the production details.
The W. Goebel factory continued to produce Hummel figurines after the
end of World War II and
Berta's death, on November 6, 1946. Berta's Hummel's work gained
worldwide popularity as soldiers
and sailors of the Allied Occupation Forces in Germany bought the
whimsical little figurines and sent them home.
The Goebel Collectors Club was formed in 1977, to bring the thousands of
Hummel collectors together, allowing
them to share information and stories about their "Hummels". In 1989,
the name of the club was changed
to the M.I. Hummel Club, and by 1994, there were over 250,000 registered
members in the
United States alone, and there were an estimated Four Million serious
Hummel collectors, worldwide.
