A request for a new topic for a local chapter as to the theme of the month was brought up. Since a number of people were enjoying the produce from their gardens, this was chosen and agreed upon. Since there was a good bit of interest in this topic, I decided that there was a need for this page to support that upcoming meeting presentation as well as a new theme to add to the website. Those of you interested in a flower garden will enjoy a separate comprehensive theme page as there are many more figurines dedicated to this topic.
This page was updated on 2 August 2022.
Gardening Hummels
This theme covers a wide array of figurines and other items with the idea of being outside taking care of our favorite garden plants. If you have a collection of figurines with this idea, you will no doubt have a few of the following.
HUM 74 – Little Gardner
Height – 4” – 4½”
Designed by master sculptor Reinhold Unger in 1937, the older models have an oval base and was remodeled in the early 1960s with a larger round base and a smaller flower becoming ever smaller with the next few trademarks. The first TMK-1 Crown versions had a darker green dress as shown but was quickly changed to a lighter green and then by the TMK-2 Full Bee version, the dress was changed to a bright yellow in color. The item on the left is an early TMK-1 Crown located on 6 May 2021 on eBay for $95 plus shipping and the other to the right has a TMK-6 Missing Bee trademark. This figurine was permanently retired in 2006.
HUM 349 – Florist
349 – 6¾”
349/0 – 5¼”
First modeled by master sculptor Gerhard Skrobek in 1957, it was remodeled by master sculptor Helmut Fischer in a small size, 349/0, in 1989 with an incised copyright date of 1990. Originally called “Flower Lover” on old factory records, but later changed to “The Florist” and finally just “Florist”. The small size was released in the U.S. market in the Fall of 2002. The original price was $300 in 2002. The larger size has been found in the TMK-4 trademark with a 4/62 painting date.
HUM 351 – The Botanist
Height – 4 to 4¼ inches
This figurine was first modeled by master sculptor Gerhard Skrobek in 1965 with an incised copyright date of 1972 on the bottom and introduced in the U.S. market in the fall of 1982. Originally called “Remembering” on old factory records, but later changed to “The Botanist” and finally just “Botanist.” The original price was $82 in 1982 and has been found with an earlier incised copyright date of 1965. An early sample with a TMK-4 trademark could bring a value of $2,000 to $3,000. This is an adaptation of one of Sister Hummel’s drawings showing a seated girl studying a scarce gentian blue flower held in her hand, apparently after some fashioning of some of them into a garland she wears around her head. A pert little blue bird is perched on a small stump at her right that seems to be talking directly to her. The adaptation was registered in the U.S. Copyright Office on May 30, 1972 with the unimaginative name of “Girl Holding Flowers.” Fortunately, a prototype was located in the Goebel factory archives as described but for some reason it has remained in a state of suspension. The German name assigned to this motif is Enzian-Mädchen or “Girl with Gentian Flowers.” Ars Sacra owns the original drawing and have produced an exact replica as the postcard #5860. I was able to locate a variation of this motif without the blue bird and a different arrangement of the flowers to the girls left as shown here. The base is also quite different and there appears to be less detail indicative of a possible smaller version which in this case is the three inch figurine, HUM 351/4/0.
HUM 351 – unknown
Early sample
Stylized Bee TMK-3
Here is an early sample M.I. Hummel lamp straight from the Goebel archives that has never been published before. It would appear that the two little girls in their red dresses have invaded the territory of a blue bird angerly protecting its bird house attached to a blossoming tree. The mold number is 351 and was possibly created by master sculptor Gerhard Skrobek with a copyright year of 1961 but due to this sculpture not being accepted, for whatever reason, the number was reused and applied to The Botanist which was created in 1965 by Skrobek. You can see by the red X on the bottom of the base that this was intended as possibly a painter’s sample. It may be that this is a mother mold and an artist sample and was kept in the archives as a rejected experimental piece.
Many thanks to the owner who shared a photograph of this very rare figurine. You might even find this figurine in the near future on the owner’s eBay store. Here is another special treat for you, a section of the page of master sculptor Gerhard Skrobek’s personal workbook with notes on this figurine. Watch for a book to be released in the future with detailed notes on many of the figurines found on this website from this authority who has access to the archival pieces. Many of the rare examples on this website can be attributed to this great source of this owner’s photographs! Visit this store for more special items for sale.
HUM 355 – Autumn Harvest
Height – 5″
Archivmuster
Red Line
This figurine was created in 1963 by master sculptor Gerhard Skrobek and first produced as a sample in the Stylized Bee with the trademark TMK-3 but was not initially released until 1972. The earliest production pieces bear the Three Line Mark TMK-4 and there were very few of these made available. The copyright date on those available show the year 1971 but this certain one showing has the trademark 1964. This one also has the mold number 355 in black color and the MASTERPAINTER signature Ki 5.73 which means Franz Kirchner painted it in May of 1973. This rare figurine is 4.88 inches high ( 12.4 cm) and has the Last of the Bee TMK-5 trademark and a copyright date from 1964. On the base from this nice figurine is the RED LINE, this shows us that this figurine is a MASTERPIECE. Also found on this figurine is metal tag the expression written ARCHIVMUSTER OESLAU W.GOEBEL. This one sold on eBay on June 14, 2015.
HUM 461 – In the Orchard
Height – 5½”
Missing Bee TMK-6
Arbeitsmuster
Modeled by master sculptors Gerhard Skrobek and Anette Barth in 1984, this piece was released for the public much later and is hard to find. The certain item here is marked with a metal tag embossed with the words ARBEITSMUSTER, W.GOEBEL, RÖDENTAL, attached to the legs with a wire. It is reported that there are only five of the HUM 461 Arbeitsmuster copies available, period. The figurine you see here was offered on eBay on 21 September 2021 for a Buy It Now price of $1,999 plus $60 shipping from Neutraubling, Germany.
See also HUM 590 for a new Possible Future Edition (PFE) available made from the same sketch by Sister Hummel.
HUM 463 – My Wish Is Small
Height – 5½”
Modeled by master sculptor Gerhard Skrobek in 1985, this figurine was available only in 1992 as a Members’ Exclusive Edition for the M.I. Hummel Club Year 16 and was not sold as an Open Edition (OE). It has on the bottom an incised 1985 copyright date with the TMK-7 trademark along with a blue decal showing the phrase, “EXCLUSIVE EDITION 1992/93 M.I. HUMMEL CLUB” with the large black flying bumble bee. Members could purchase the figurine for $170 along with their redemption card. A very rare version was the earlier sample with a TMK-6 trademark easily distinguished with a square base instead of the round version on the production figurine. The sample was valued by Robert Miller at about ten times the production version.
HUM 590 – unknown (PFE)
Height – 3¾”
Small Crown TMK-7
Possible Future Edition (PFE)
This figurine is a sample only, and reported as such, is one of only three known to exist with the other two residing within the Goebel Archives. This one was created from the same original sketch as that of HUM 461 – In the Orchard (above) but is much smaller and does not have the small apple tree as part of the figurine. It clearly has a new HUM number, 590 incised on the bottom and the copyright date from 1994. The master painter signature showing Neu 4/94 reflects the artist Günther Neubauer who painted it in April of 1994.
This one showed up on eBay on 21 September 2021 with a Buy It Now price of $2,499 and $60 shipping from Neutraubling, Germany. The seller promotes it as being only one of three samples located in the past 30 years from the archives and is the only one to come from a private collection recently.
HUM 619 – Garden Gift
At 4¾-inches tall, this figurine was initially released in 2003 with an original list price of $260, this figurine was sculpted by master sculptor Helmut Fischer in October of 2003. A limited number of 150 Arbeitsmuster Editions were available in North America to Hummel Club members. This is a companion piece to HUM 925 Annual Plate for 2004.
HUM 727 – Garden Treasures
This figurine was the gift for the 1998 Hummel Club offering valued at $85. Modeled by Helmut Fischer in 1996, it bears the inscription: “M.I. Hummel CLUB Membership Year 1998/99” in addition to having a black flying bumble bee in a half circle on the base. It is similar to HUM 461 – In the Orchard.
HUM 729 – Nature’s Gift
Height – 3¾”
A similar version of HUM 74 – Little Gardner, this figurine is a bit smaller, does not have the flower in front of the little girl and is looking straight ahead instead of down at where the flower would have been. Modeled in 1996 by master sculptor Helmut Fischer, it was released the following year in the U.S. market as a free gift for renewing membership with the M.I. Hummel Club for the 1997/98 year. It has on the bottom a decal denoting this as well as having a black flying bumble bee in a half circle.
HUM 795/0 – From My Garden
Initially released in the U.S. market in 1997, this 4¾-inch figurine was modeled by master sculptor Helmut Fischer in 1994, has the incised copyright date of 1994 along with the first trademark of TMK-7. The introductory official issue price was $180 in 1997. The last issue of this smaller size has the TMK-8 trademark as it was Temporarily Withdrawn (TW) in December of 2004. A larger size HUM 795/1 at 5½ inches was modeled by Helmut Fischer in 1996 for a possible future release date (PFE).
HUM 835 – Garden Splendor
Created by Helmut Fischer and Anette Barth in 1999 and first released in the European market in the Fall of the same year, this 3¼-inch tall figurine shows a little girl with blue hair bows and a white tiara collecting flower blossoms in rural Bavaria. Released the following year in the U.S. market in the Spring of the year 2000, it also matches the 2000 Annual Plate. The figurine has an oval decal backstamp on the bottom with the phrase, “First Issue MILLENIUM 2000” along with the TMK-8 trademark and an incised 1999 copyright date. The original introductory price was $185 in 2000.
Annual Plate Series Number 2 – 2000 to 2004
These 7-inch wide plates are very colorful in contrast and are apparently very hard to find as represented by their secondary market price requested.
2000 HUM 921 – Garden Splendor – The original price for this plate was $198. It matches the HUM 835 – Garden Splendor figurine shown above.
2003 HUM 924 – The Florist – This plate matches the HUM 349 – Florist figurine.
2004 HUM 925 – Garden Gift – First released in the Fall of 2003, this plate had an initial price tag of $215. It matches the HUM 619 – Garden Gift figurine.
HUM 2011 – Little Landscaper
Height – 4¼”
Modeled by master sculptor Helmut Fischer in 1996 with an incised 1996 copyright date along with the TMK-8 trademark and the “First Issue 2002” backstamp. It came with a “Bountiful Garden” HummelScape (a $75 value) with the official issue price of $250 in January of 2002. It was first released in the U.S. market on QVC television in the Fall of 2001 and later sold through normal retail channels for a price of $200.
The figurine has been released with a variety of items in his wheelbarrow. In January of 2005, a limited edition of 500 as “Little Landscaper with Hibiscus”. A “Pumpkin Special Edition” with an orange pumpkin in the wheelbarrow and new paint colors was released for Artist Events in the Fall of 2005 with a TMK-8 trademark and an incised 1996 copyright date of 1996 for a price of $259. A ceramic display called “In the Garden” (Mark #1121-D as shown) was provided free at Artist Events with the purchase of the pumpkin version of the figurine. The “Little Landscaper with Bananas” was released in January of 2006 as a Limited Edition of 499 as part of the “Caribbean Collection”.
Wayside Shrine Tree
975-D
Here is Wayside Shrine Tree by itself which was initially sold in 1991. This piece appears to have the same footprint as the Marketplace Flower Shop but may be a little different in size. See the placement next to the Bavarian Country School above. The shrine was located 14 March 2021 on eBay with a Buy It Now price of $34.95 with $12.08 shipping. The first year issue price was $60 with a highest known price paid of $70 according to the Olszewski Studio website.
Torhaus Garten
983-D (Torhaus), 984-D (platform)
This is Torhaus Garten which was initially sold in 1991. Notice the stepped platform with which to display a number of figurines. This piece measures 13” wide and 9.5” tall. The Torhaus Garten was designed by Olszewski and produced by Goebel for a special offer that was made to collectors in 1991. The display is made of resin and the figurines are porcelain, not bronze or are Goebel Miniatures. This is a beautiful scene in a garden patio setting showing great detail and comes in two sections reflecting creative ingenuity and ability of the artist. The item showing here was on eBay with a Buy It Now price of $69.99 with $25.40 shipping on 13 March 2021.