Rare Hummels HUM 100 on

Due to the overwhelming increase in the number of figurines added to the Rare Hummels page, this is an extension of the first page beginning with HUM 100. This is just a sampling from the very many figurines you may run across with your pursuit of a rare figurine. These are listed in numerical order by their mold numbers for your convenience.

There were many examples of figurines created as prototypes with various colorization and poses to present as samples to the sisters at the Sießen Convent with only a percentage being accepted. Other figurines may include small mistakes that were overlooked though this is certainly rare considering the strict parameters each piece went through before being ready to sell. You may find one of these if you keep your eyes open and books handy. The following figurines are some good examples of what to look that have recently become available. See also the free comprehensive numerical list of the M.I. Hummel figurines with links to this and other pages of rare and unusual examples. Also, be sure to visit the What’s New web page to see what has been added to this site that you may have missed.

See also Rare Hummels HUM 1 through HUM 99.

This page was updated on 2 October 2023.

HUM 100 – Shrine, Table Lamp

Height – 7½”
Crown TMK-1
Closed Edition (CE)
Molded by Erich Lautensack in 1938, this is the extremely rare M.I. Hummel table lamp, Shrine. Only a few examples are known to exist according to Robert L. Miller who was the previous owner. It is a transitional piece with an incised Crown TMK-1 trademark as well as a stamped Full Bee TMK-2 trademark. There is a Goebel paper label under the base and is signed by the master painter on June, 1950. It is similar to HUM 23 – Adoration except that this has a light beige colored post for the light bulb. This one is actually referenced on page 94 of Robert L. Miller’s 9th Edition Price Guide. This figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $500.00.

Another example of this figurine was located on eBay on 15 October 2021 but this one has as the vertical structure as a tree. This certain one has a Double Crown TMK-1 trademark and had a Buy It Now price of $6,499.99 plus an expedited shipping charge of $49.99 from Waterloo, Iowa.

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $8,000 to $10,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $8,000 to $10,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $4,800 to $6,000

HUM 101 – To Market, Table Lamp

Height – 6½”
Full Bee TMK-2
Closed Edition (CE)
Originally modeled by master sculptor Arthur Möeller in 1937, it became listed as a Closed Edition (CE) on 20 April 1937. It was redesigned in the early 1950s with a tree trunk post in place of the straight white post and then later adapted with HUM 223 – To Market, Table Lamp. This figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $500.00.

HUM 102 – Volunteers, Table Lamp

     Height – 7½”
     Double Crown TMK-1
Closed Edition (CE)
  Originally modeled by master sculptor Erich Lautensack in 1937, it is listed as a Closed Edition (CE) in factory records in 20 April 1937. It was first known about when an example was found in 1979. This figurine has a Double Crown with an incised and stamped trademarks. Robert Miller placed a value of between $8,000 T0 $10,000 due to the scarcity of the samples located. This figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $900.00.

HUM 103 – Farewell, Table Lamp

Height – 7½”
Double Crown TMK-1
Closed Edition (CE)
Originally modeled by master sculptor Erich Lautensack in 1937, this is an extremely rare example and was listed as a Closed Edition (CE) on 20 April 1937. Notice that this has both the incised as well asd the stamped TMK-1 Crown trademarks. The mold number, 103, is also inked in but appears above the incised number. There appears to be no painter’s mark on this item. This one was located on 4 February 2022 on eBay with a Buy It Now price of $4,566.94 and a shipping charge of $13.70 from Heideck, Germany. Robert Miller’s 2003 Price Guide has this estimated as being worth between $8,000 and $10,000.

HUM 105 – Adoration With Bird

     Height – 4¾”
     Closed Edition (CE)
     This figurine was very limited in production and listed as a Closed Edition (CE) on the factory records on 24 May 1938. All of the known examples have a double crown (incised and stamped) trademark. Creation of this figurine has been credited to master sculptor Reinhold Unger but has not been verified nor has the date of the creation. Reinhold Unger created the model for HUM 23 – Adoration which is very similar in design and probably why he is given this honor. In contrast, HUM 100 – Shrine, Tablelamp, is another which is similar to HUM 23 but was modeled by Erich Lautensack. There have been ten to fifteen pieces located since the initial discovery in 1977 with the only variation being the pigtail of the little girl where some are very detailed and others not as much. This figurine is considered extremely rare and Robert Miller put an estimated value of between $7,000 and $8,000 on it. A later estimate by Heidi Ann Von Recklinghausen has it as between $4,200 and $4,800, still a sizable amount of money if you run across one. I located this one for sale on 5 November 2020 at Catawiki.com on the auction block in faience porcelain with the pigtail pointing down instead of forward.

A second HUM 105 – Adoration with Bird was auctioned at the Donald Deeks Collection on Saturday, 21 November 2020 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $700.00. This piece as shown to the right is now in a private collection.

A more recent auction with the Stein Auction Company on 10 August 2022 offered many beautiful examples of rare figurines in one place, all total from one collection. The starting bid was set for $500 and is reported to be in mint condition. The final auction winning bid was $700 plus an auctioneers fee. Notice on the bottom of this figurine that the word “Germany” is stamped on the bottom edge instead of within the base near the trademark.

Update: The day after this last auction on 11 August, I did a quick search on eBay to see if there were any of the HUM 105 figurines available and how much one might be purchased for. It came as a surprise to see there were actually two, one from Albiano d’Ivrea, Italy and another from Heideck, Germany.

The Italian figurine was entitled, as translated into English, “Unobtainable hum105 Adoration WITH BIRD HUMMEL 24 may 1938 Porcelain Figurine” asking a Buy It Now price of EU 3,999.99 or approximately US $4,142.19 plus $31.07 shipping charge. This figurine has an incised Crown TMK-1 trademark and possibly a very faint stamped Crown mark as well. There is a small chip on the inside of the base and the photograph shows what appears to have been a repair to the tree where it meets the table. Further down the page is additional information, “The figurine probably designed by the famous sculptor Reinhold Unger was produced in a limited edition only for one day on May 24, 1938. It is considered a real rarity by collectors.” This figurine surfaced once again on 3 March 2023 for the same price from the same seller.

The German figurine was entitled, as translated into English, “Rarity * HUMMEL FIGURINE HUM 105. “For Mother Mary” FM 1 * Crown Brand ” and a subheading of “The figure is in perfect condition, 1st choice, without any defects.”. They are asking a Buy It Now price of EU 2,999.95 or approximately US $3,106.60 plus a $25.89 shipping charge. This figurine has a well defined Double Crown TMK-1, incised and stamped. Further down the page is additional information, “This figure was probably modeled in 1938 by Reinhold Unger, who also modeled the similar Hum 23 figure. The figure was only made in very few copies as a prototype. There are probably fewer than 10 of them. Goebel ceased production of this figure forever on May 24, 1938.”

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $7,000 to $8,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $7,000 to $8,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $4,200 to $4,800

HUM 106 – Merry Wanderer
HUM 107 – Little Fiddler
Plaque with wood frame

Size – 6″ x 6″
Closed Edition (CE)

These are a very limited production item and are listed as a Closed Edition (CE) on factory records as of 1 August 1938. First modeled by master sculptor Arthur Möeller in 1938, these are similar to the all-ceramic plaques with the exception of the wood frame. There is some variation in the wood frames but these, and especially as a set, are “considered extremely rare.” These have been found only in the Crown TMK-1 trademark and are valued between $1,200 and $4,000 each depending upon condition.

Values each:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $3,000 to $4,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $3,000 to $4,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $1,800 to $2,400

HS 01 (HUM 108) – Angel with Two Children At Feet

Height – 10¼”
Crown TMK-1 and Full Bee TMK-2
Originally modeled by master sculptor Reinhold Unger in 1938, it is listed on the factory records of 14 October 1938 as a wall decoration. Factory representatives’ state that is possibly a Hummel design-probably rejected by the Sießen Convent and then marketed as a Goebel item. There are no known examples of HUM 108 but there are two known versions of HS 01 with the boy having blond hair on one and dark hair on another. This one is the one with blond hair. Several examples have been located. The Goebel HS 01 has a Crown TMK-1 or a combination of TMK-1 and TMK-2. This figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $2,200.00.

A more recent auction with the Stein Auction Company on 10 August 2022 offered many beautiful examples of rare figurines in one place, all total from one collection. The starting bid for this figurine described as Angel with two children at feet was set for $500 and is reported to be in mint condition. The final auction winning bid was $500 plus an auctioneers fee.

HUM 109/0 – Happy Traveler

5¼ inches tall
Full Bee TMK-2
Originally modeled by master sculptor Arthur Möeller in 1938 and was produced in all trademark periods until June 2002 with the 109/0 was “Temporarily Withdrawn” (TW). Listed as “Wanderer” in old catalogs. The Happy Traveler is better known with his handy umbrella but this little boy is carrying a brown bottle in place of that umbrella under his arm. It has not been altered, and may be one of a kind. This figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $600.00.

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $275 to $350
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $275 to $350
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $165 to $225

HUM 113 – Heavenly Song, Candleholder

3¾ inches tall
Crown TMK-1 and Full Bee TMK-2
Originally modeled by master sculptor Arthur Möeller in 1938 and was produced in limited quantities. Due to it being very similar to a previous figurine, HUM 54 Silent Night, the factory decided it should not be produced again as such and was listed in 1980 as a closed edition. There is at least one piece that was found with a Last of the Bee TMK-5 trademark but production ended with the Three Line TMK-4 trademark. All specimens of the HUM 113 Heavenly Song, candleholder are considered to be extremely rare. The figurine shown here with both Crown TMK-1 and Full Bee TMK-2 trademarks was available on eBay on 10 December 2020 with a relatively low Buy It Now price of $1,725 plus $41.90 shipping from Ohio. This figurine is 3¾ inches tall to the tip of the angel’s wings and contains a base that measures 5 inches long and 3 inches deep to the candle-well. The seller indicates they are aware of no more than a total of seventy-five of this figurine in private collections. This figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $450.00.

Another piece in the proper colors showed up on February 2023 with a Buy It Now eBay asking price of $2,500 from Gannon’s Antiques and Art in Fort Myers, Florida. The description notes that there may be less than 50 of this figurine known but the actual number is not published.

Values for Crown:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $6,000 to $10,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $6,000 to $10,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $3,600 to $6,000

This next figurine comes from the Donald Deeks Collection, a major Hummel collector and a good friend of Robert Miller. There was one located with the Faience technique applied with very bright colors and a glossy finish and this may be it. A faience piece is finished in bright colors and a glossy finish due to an early technique of adding brilliant colors to the figurines. As a comparison, the children’s clothing are mostly reversed colors from other piece shown above. This Hummel measures approximately 3½ inches tall and is a Double Crown TMK-1 with both the incised as well as a stamped trademark also referred to as TMK-1 + 1. This figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $700.00.

A more recent auction with the Stein Auction Company on 10 August 2022 offered many beautiful examples of rare figurines in one place, all total from one collection. The starting bid for the following HUM 113 – Heavenly Song candleholder Crown era was set for $100 and is reported to have breaks and damage. Compare the one below to the one preceding and notice the difference in the angels wings and the direction of the child in green’s head facing. The seller said that this figurine had the wings repaired and due to not having a copy to pattern the repair to, the wings were inadvertently shortened. He also said that this was clearly not from the production mold as when he compared it to another HUM-113 he had on hand. Note also there is no indication of any TMK-1 Crown trademark but there is the incised number 113 as well as the incised MI Hummel signature on the backside of the base. This certain figurine was not initially sold but was offered shortly thereafter for the price of the opening bid of $100 plus the auctioneers cost. A very good price for any faience M.I. Hummel figurine in my opinion.

A different faience figurine showed up in February of 2023 with a Buy It Now eBay asking price of $3,500 plus a shipping charge of $29.95 from Fort Myers, Florida. You can tell they are not the same piece by checking the Crown incised and stamped trademarks on the base.

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $3,000 to $5,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $3,000 to $5,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $3,000 to $5,000

HUM 127 – Doctor

Sample?
Height – 5⅛”
Originally modeled by master sculptor Arthur Möeller in 1939 under the name of Doll Doctor or in German, Puppendoktor, and joining the line about 1940, this figurine has had a number of modifications. This one, in the photograph, appears to be a very early sample due to not having a trademark, the dolls feet hang out over the edge of the base and a “dot” is found following the mold number under the base making it a possible Crown TMK-1. It does have the M.I. Hummel signature on the top of the base but is completely devoid of any colorization, just the white glaze. This figurine was located on eBay with an asking price of $325 plus $10.89 shipping on 14 October 2020.

HUM 130 – Duet

Height – 5″ – 5½”
Originally modeled in 1939 by master sculptor Arthur Möeller, the original name for this 5½ inch figurine was The Songsters. Some of the earlier Crown TMK-1 pieces have variations, such as incised notes on the sheet music as well as being painted or a small lip on the base like a stepped base. These variations were valued at $1,000 to $1,500 in Robert Miller’s price guide. The primary variation on this Possible Future Edition (PFE) Last of the Bee TMK-5 piece is an undocumented additional bow tie on the little fella on the right in green holding the sheet music. These have a suggested valued placed between $2,000 and $3,500. This figurine was located on the WorthPoint website and reportedly sold on eBay on January 11, 2017.

All other pieces have the taller boy in the brown coat with the only bow tie or in the case of a few Full Bee TMK-2 or Stylized Bee TMK-3 figurines, no ties at all as shown on the next figurine. This one was purchased at the Miller’s third auction and was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $375.00.

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $2,000 to $3,500
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – over $3,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $1,200 to $2,100

HUM 130 – Duet

Height – 5″ – 5½”
     Crown TMK-1
     Lipped version
     Some of the earlier Crown TMK-1 versions of this figurine had a very thin lipped edge on the front of the base. This lipped version of the Duet figurines also have incised musical notes on the sheet music and are considered more valuable than the regular Crown pieces. This piece was photographed in a private collection.

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $1,000 to $1,500
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $1,000 to $1,500
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $600 to $900

HUM 133 – Mother’s Helper

Height – 5”
Crown TMK-1
Originally modeled by master sculptor Arthur Möller in 1939, this little girl figurine does not have an indicating HUM number but it is clearly HUM 133 – Mothers Helper. This very early example of a Crown TMK-1 has a barely visible incised trademark inside and these initial items are very hard to find. The figurine also has no indicating incised copyright date indicating it is truly a very early example of this mold. This is a very rare and hard to find example of a MASTERPIECE from one of the first Master painters, LK = Luis Knauer. It sold on 3 October 2021 on eBay for $282.97 plus a $60 shipping charge from Neutraubling, Germany.

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $550 to $700
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $700 to $800
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $330 to $420

HUM 136 – Friends (Terra Cotta)

Height – 10”
Crown TMK-1
Originally modeled by master sculptor Reinhold Unger in 1940, the reddish brown terra cotta finish was sold at one time in 10 inches high with the incised Crown TMK-1 trademark. This variety was produced in very limited numbers and is considered extremely rare with Robert Miller estimated the value at between $10,000 and $15,000. The large 136/V size was listed as Temporarily Withdrawn (TW) in January of 1999. This figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $800.00.

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $10,000 to $15,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $10,000 to $15,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $6,000 to $9,000

HUM 137 A – Child in Bed, Wall Plaque
(looking left)

Closed Edition (CE)

Originally modeled by master sculptor Arthur Möeller in 1940 as a set of two small wall plaques – one child looking left and one child looking to the right. Also known as “Baby Ring with Ladybug” or “Ladybug Plaque”. Pictured is one of the first known examples of 137 A and the first one was found hanging on a kitchen wall somewhere in Hungary in 1986. Since that time several other examples have been found in Europe. The matched pair should have the incised M.I. Hummel signature on the back, and further have the incised mold numbers. The current book value, if found in a pair, is $5,350 – $6,550. The Child in Bed looking right (HUM 137 B) has been on the market for years and can be found in all trademark periods.

A second set to examine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida. Both of these have the M I Hummel signatures on back. 137/A has stamped crown on back, blanket is white with red stripes, very rare. It has been determined that there may only be a dozen in the world of the Crown TMK-1 set. This set sold for $300.00 and is now in the private ownership of another serious collector.

Values of HUM 137/A Crown:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $5,000 to $7,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $5,000 to $7,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $3,000 to $4,200

HUM 151 – Madonna Holding Child

Height – 12½”
Transitional Crown TMK-1 & Full Bee TMK-2
This figurine was originally modeled by master sculptor Reinhold Unger in 1942 produced in five color variations: white overglaze, pastel blue cloak, dark blue cloak, brown cloak, and ivory finish. This figurine is the Madonna Holding Child (brown cloak version). This piece was made in dark blue, dark brown, light blue and white over glaze in the Crown TMK-1 & Full Bee TMK-2 only. The figurines were not made in the Stylized TMK-3 or the Three Line TMK-4. They were once again made in the light blue and white overglaze in the Last of the Bee TMK-5 & Missing Bee TMK-6. On 31 December 1989, the figurine was Temporarily Withdrawn (TW). The figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $1,100.00.

Values of Crown in brown, ivory and dark blue:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $9,000 to $12,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $9,000 to $12,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $5,400 to $7,200

HUM 152/A – Umbrella Boy

     Height – 8”
     Crown TMK-1
     This figurine was originally modeled by master sculptor Arthur Möeller in 1942 and this Crown TMK-1 was the only size in that trademark. It is also the only one incised with the copyright of 152(dot) and is considered quite rare in this 8 inch version. The Full Bee TMK-2 trademark can be found with both the incised 152 and the 152/A due to a smaller size Umbrella Boy being introduced. The old name was “In Safety” or “Boy Under Umbrella”. Older models like this one usually have the handle of the umbrella attached to the right shoe instead of the left. The high end value in Robert Miller’s 2003 price guide is $7,000 but has been reduced to $4,200 in Von Recklinghausen’s 2013 price guide. The eBay Buy It Now price was $4,000 for this certain figurine.

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $4,000 to $7,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $5,000 to $7,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $2,400 to $4,200

HUM 152/B – Umbrella Girl

Height – 8”
Crown TMK-1
This figurine was originally modeled by master sculptor Arthur Möeller in 1949 and this Crown TMK-1 was the only size in that trademark. It is considered quite rare in this 8 inch version. The Full Bee TMK-2 trademark can be found with the incised 152/B due to a smaller size Umbrella Girl being introduced. The old name was “Girl Under Umbrella”. Older models like this one usually have the handle of the umbrella attached to the right shoe instead of the left. The appraised value in Robert Miller’s 2006 price guide is between $5,000 and $7,000 but is lowered to $4,200 in Von Recklinghausen’s 2013 price guide.

HUM 153 – Auf Wiedersehen

Height – 5¼”
Originally modeled by master sculptor Arthur Möeller in 1943, the first figurines, known as Good Bye in the older catalogs, were produced in the large size only with a plain 153 incised mold number. This small size of 5¼ inches was introduced later in the early 1950s with the boy wearing a green Tyrolean hat and waving his hand without the handkerchief. This size is always found in the Full Bee TMK-2 trademark with the “0” size designator directly under the number “153” and is considered rare. This particular style was made in the small size only. Both sizes of Auf Wiedersehen were permanently retired by Goebel on 31 December 2000 and will not be produced again. The latest value placed on this figurine is by Heidi Anne Von Recklinghausen of between $1,800 and $2,400.

The figurine shown above was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $225.00.

Another HUM 153 – Auf Wiedersehen Full Bee TMK-2 with a hat was discovered on eBay on 22 February 2021 and sold shortly after for only $101.99 plus $15.20 expedited shipping. The title of the page on eBay did not include the HUM number or the name of this figurine making it hard to find. There was a piece of paint scratched off the nose of the little boy which I believe contributed to the lower price paid. I found yet another at a local thrift store with a price tag of $1,795.00 hanging from a small tag. This price is more in line with Heidi Ann Von Recklinghausen’s 2nd edition of her book.

A third one, to the right, showed up on 7 May 2021 with a Buy It Now price of $325.00 and $15.20 shipping. Notice the contrast between these two in the placement of the feet. The little boy’s feet on the right appear to be slightly ahead of the little girl’s. This one shows to be in near perfect condition and now resides in a prominent position in my own collection. It would seem, perhaps, that this version is not as rare as earlier believed considering these two became available within a couple of weeks of each other. Keep checking and you too may find a very valuable one like these for a much more reasonable price.

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $3,000 to $4,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $3,000 to $4,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $1,800 to $2,400

HUM 171 – Little Sweeper

     Height – 4¼”
     Arbeitsmuster
     Masterpiece
     Red Line
     Missing Bee TMK-6
This little figurine was originally modeled by Reinhold Unger in 1944, during World War II, with just the HUM number of 171. Later, in 1986, Gerhard Skrobek remodeled it and was assigned the HUM 171/0 designation. At some point later on, a smaller version was modeled as HUM 171/4/0 and this is the one you see here.

This one, however, is very special in that it is a rarer version with the inked in incised number 171 under the base and has a red line around the base along with a metal tag denoting the embossed words ARBEITSMUSTER W.GOEBEL OESLAU. In the 1970s, the city of Oeslau changed its name to Rödental. Master painter Franz Kirchner signed this one with his Ki signature and dated the painting of this figurine as that of June 1970 with the Stylized Bee trademark of TMK-3. The seller, gorgasnegras, mentions on his eBay page that this is an example of a Masterpiece of which there are less than a handful. The Little Sweeper was located on eBay selling on 28 November 2021 with a shipping charge of $60.00 from Neutraubling, Germany.

HUM 172 – Festival Harmony, Mandolin

   Height – 11″
     Transitional Crown TMK-1 & Full Bee TMK-2 trademarks
    Here is a rare, large 11-inch HUM 173 – Festival of Harmony with Mandolin. Originally molded by Reinhold Unger in 1947 in this large size only. This piece is rare because it has a large bird and flowers running up the front of angel’s gown as well as having both the incised Crown and stamped Full Bee trademarks. The figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $700.00.

A more recent auction with the Stein Auction Company on 10 August 2022 offered many beautiful examples of rare figurines in one place, all total from one collection. A pair of transitional Crown/Full Bee HUM 172 and HUM 173 11-inch figurines were offered with a starting bid set for $200 for the pair. It is reported that the HUM 172 was in mint condition while the HUM 173 had a large flower, bird tail and one angel wing reglued. The final auction winning bid for the pair was $475 plus an auctioneers fee.

Values for Crown and Full Bee:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $3,000 to $3,500, $2,500 to $3,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $3,000 to $3,500, $2,500 to $3,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $1,800 to $2,100, $1,500 to $1,800

HUM 173 – Festival Harmony, Flute

     Height – 11″
     Transitional Crown TMK-1 & Full Bee TMK-2 trademarks
    Very much like the HUM 172 – Festival Harmony, Mandolin above, here is a rare, large 11-inch HUM 173 – Festival of Harmony with Flute. Originally molded by Reinhold Unger in 1947 in this large size only. This piece is rare because it has a large bird and flowers running up the front of angel’s gown as well as having both the incised Crown and stamped Full Bee trademarks. The figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $1,100.00.

As indicated immediately above, a more recent auction with the Stein Auction Company on 10 August 2022 offered many beautiful examples of rare figurines in one place, all total from one collection. A pair of transitional Crown/Full Bee HUM 172 and HUM 173 11-inch figurines were offered with a starting bid set for $200 for the pair. It is reported that the HUM 172 was in mint condition while the HUM 173 had a large flower, bird tail and one angel wing reglued. The final auction winning bid for the pair was $475 plus an auctioneers fee.

Values for Crown and Full Bee:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $3,000 to $3,500, $2,500 to $3000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $3,000 to $3,500, $2,500 to $3,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $1,800 to $2,100, $1,500 to $1,800

HUM 176 – Happy Birthday

Height – 5½”
Crown TMK-1
Originally molded by Arthur Möeller in 1945 in this larger size only. This figurine has a certificate stating that it was purchased from the Goebel archives. The piece has “Original-Muster.” printed on the front of the base. “Original Muster” means the original sample. Also visible is the inked in mold number 176 and metal tag attached with a wire to make it easier to see this was a sample. This size was listed as “Temporarily Withdrawn” (TW) in January 1999. The figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $300.00.

HUM 177 – School Girls

Height – 7½”
Crown TMK-3
First molded by Reinhold Unger in 1946 in the 9½-inch size and later remodeled by master sculptor Theo R. Menzenbach in 1961, in two sizes including a smaller 7½ inches tall. In the Spring of 1982, the larger size was discontinued and will not be produced again. This figurine shown is the smaller size with a single decal showing the TMK-3 Stylized trademark. As you can see, this is a simple white glazed version, unpainted but with the exception of the eyes and mouth showing the Arbeitsmuster version with the decal on the front of the base prior to the painting of the clothing. The literal translation of Arbeitsmuster from German to English is “work pattern”. This piece was located on eBay the later part of July of 2023 from gorgasnegras in Germany.

HUM 181 – Old Man Reading Newspaper

Closed Edition (CE)
     Height – 6¾”
     This was made as a sample only in 1948 by master sculptor Arthur Möeller and was not approved by the Sießen Convent for production. It was not considered to be typical of Sister Hummel’s work but more of a caricature even though it is a very close rendering of one of her early sketches. This early sample does have the familiar “M.I. Hummel” signature is was possibly the one as a part of the Robert L. Miller collection until it was sold. It is listed as a Closed Number (CN) on 18 February 1948 and will not be produced again according to Miller’s price guide. It has been referred to as one of the “Mamas and Papas” or the “Old People” and an American collector discovered the first four in Europe. The fifth piece was produced as a lamp base with the mold number of HUM 202. His discoveries filled in the missing numbers that were assigned to these five. Several other examples have been found over the past few years. At least three complete sets of the five pieces have been accounted for. They were made in samples only. The value placed on this in 2003 by Miller was between $15,000 and $20,000. This particular one in the photograph was listed on eBay as a Buy It Now for $35,000 plus $50 shipping on 13 October 2020 from Austin, Texas.
     The other four “Old People” to look for are HUM 189 – Old Woman Knitting, HUM 190 – Old Woman Walking to Market, HUM 191 – Old Man Walking to Market and HUM 202 – Old Man Reading Newspaper table lamp.

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $15,000 to $20,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $15,000 to $20,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $9,000 to $12,000

HUM 186- Sweet Music

     Height – 4.9”
     Arbeitsmuster
     Red Line
Stylized Bee TMK-3
     Originally modeled in 1947 by master sculptor Reinhold Unger, it was named “Playing To The Dance” and is one of several figurines that make up the Hummel Orchestra. The HUM number 186 under the base is in black-inked numbers. This specific figurine has a RED LINE circling the base and a metal tag which has the embossed words ARBEITSMUSTER W.GOEBEL OESLAU (Oeslau was the first name of the city in the 1970s with the name being changed to Rödental). There is no incised copyright date but it does have a master painter signature showing Ki 9/67 which designates Franz Kirchner as the painter in September 1967 along with the Stylized Bee TMK-3 trademark. The seller says that all of this indicates that this figurine is considered to be what should be termed a MASTERPIECE by the Goebel standards at the time. Notice the rough, bumpy change of appearance in the coat, pants and hat that is different from other Sweet Music figurines. This one stands 4.9 inches tall. It sold on eBay for $105.50 + $60 shipping from Neutraubling, Germany.

HUM 192 – Candlelight, candleholder

Height – 5”
Full Bee TMK-2
Originally modeled in 1948 by master sculptor Reinhold Unger with a long red ceramic candle but restyled by master sculptor Theo R. Menzenbach in 1958 with a short candleholder ending in the angels hands. Older models were slightly larger and had the name of “Carrier of Light”. This one does not have the incised copyright date of 1948 but does have the incised mold number 192, a lower portion of the incised Crown TMK-1 trademark to the right of the M I Hummel signature, a blue stamped Full Bee TMK-2 trademark and has the blue stamped “© W. Goebel” mark with a black stamped “Germany” on the bottom of the base. The figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $125.00.

Values of Crown and Full Bee:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $1,350 to $1,800, $800 to $1,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $1,350 to $1,800, $800 to $1,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $780 to $1,080, $480 to $600

HUM 193 – Angel Duet, candleholder

Height – 5”
Full Bee TMK-2
Originally modeled in 1948 by master sculptor Reinhold Unger and later restyled by Theo R. Menzenbach in 1958, the older pieces had the position of the angel’s arm in rear view and was changed by Menzenbach because it was thought it would be easier for the artists to paint. According to factory records, this figurine was also sold in white overglaze finish at one time and is considered extremely rare. Listed as Temporarily Withdrawn as of January 1999. This piece has © WG on the side of the base. It is similar to Hum 261 – Angel Duet, except that it has a candle holder and girl’s arm is on the shoulder of other girl instead of on the back of the other as in Hum 261. The figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $100.00.

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $1,350 to $1,800
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $1,350 to $1,800
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $785 to $1,080

HUM 199/III – Feeding Time

Height – 13”
Big Bee TMK-8
Masterpiece Limited Edition Collection
Largest of the HUM 199 – Feeding Time figurines, this Masterpiece Collection model stands at thirteen inches tall. The included copy of the original sketch on an easel by Sister Hummel shows how closely the figurine matches her work, both in color and in the sculptor itself. This actual piece was number 2 of 1,250 and sold on eBay on 6 July 2017 for $926.00 with 42 bids.

Values:
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $1,500 to $2,000

HUM 203 – Signs of Spring

Height – 5¼”
The figurine was first modeled in 1948 by master sculptor Arthur Möeller and had the old name of “Scandal”. This particular piece is extremely rare and Robert Miller and Donald Deeks both had one in their collections. Robert Miller saw one in the archives at the factory in Rödental several years previous with four posts in the fence instead of the usual three, which the girl is leaning on. This figurine has inscribed by hand “HUM 203” and with the backstamp “(c) W Goebel, RIM (master painter) and a full bee trademark. If you have Robert Miller’s No.1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines, Plates, Miniatures, & More, his 10th edition has a photograph of it on the cover page. This figurine shown here was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida, and sold for $5,500.00. It is now part of another private collection with other very rare pieces.

Another anomaly to watch for is the little girl with two shoes instead of just one in the 203 2/0 Full Bee TMK-2 trademark only. One of these “two shoe” versions was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $150.00. This version has been found several times and may also be seen on eBay for a price and would look great in any collection as a conversational piece.

HUM 204 – Weary Wanderer

Height – 5¼”
Full Bee TMK-2
This figurine was first modeled in 1949 by master sculptor Reinhold Unger and had the original name of “Tired Little Traveler”. Occasionally, the figurine is found with blue eyes and the word “Lauterbach” on the back of the post behind the little girl which is the name of a village used in an old German song. This certain piece has an inscribed Full Bee and number 204 with the stamped copyright symbol followed by “W. Goebel”. Robert Miller indicates in his 2003 Price Guide that this version of Weary Wanderer would command a premium of $2,000 to $3,000 and this little girl was actually from his personal collection. The figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $100.00.

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $2,000 to $3,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $2,000 to $3,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $2,000 to $3,000

HUM 208 – French Dealer Plaque

     French Dealer’s Plaque
     Closed Edition (CE)
Full Bee TMK-2, Width – 5½”
     Originally molded by master sculptor Reinhold Unger in 1949, there are two variations to this figurine. One has quotes around the word HUMMEL while the other, this one, has the dotted “i” and no quotes. This figurine is the older of the two types and has the incised mold number 208 with a sharp, black stamped Full Bee TMK-2 trademark. This was issued for French dealers to display in their store windows or on their counters and is considered very rare and valued between $2,400 to $3,600 range. There was one on eBay with a suggested purchase price of around $4,000. This certain one was located on eBay on 24 November 2020 with a Buy It Now price of $5,200 plus $25 for expedited shipping.

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $4,000 to $6,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $4,000 to $6,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $2,400 to $3,600

HUM 209 – Swedish Dealer Plaque

     Swedish Dealer’s Plaque
     Closed Edition (CE)
     Full Bee TMK-2, Width – 5½”
     This figurine has the incised mold number 209 with a blue stamped Full Bee TMK-2 trademark along with the blue stamped word “Import”. This was issued for Swedish dealers to display in their store windows or on their counters and is considered very rare and valued in the upper end of the four-digit range. Some have sold for over $7,000. According to Miller, it is quite likely that there are less than ten of these known, even with all the publicity and high prices. There was one on eBay with a suggested purchase price of around $4,000. This certain one was located on the Eagles of War website.

HUM 210 – Schmid Bros. Dealer Plaque

     Schmid Brothers Dealer’s Plaque
     Closed Edition (CE)
     Full Bee TMK-2, Width – 5½”
     First modeled by master sculptor Reinhold Unger in 1950, very few are known to exist making it extremely rare. Described as a normal dealer’s plaque in English but with an embossed “SCHMID BROS INC BOSTON” on the satchel. Schmid Brothers were one of the first importers of M.I. Hummel figurines in 1935. There were five of this version known and were in the hands of the major collectors Donald Deeks, Robert L. Miller, Mr. Stiegler (2) and Schmid. This was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $2,100.00.

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $20,000 to $25,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $20,000 to $25,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $12,000 to $15,000

HUM 211 – M.I. Hummel Dealer’s Plaque

Noted as possibly the rarest of all the M.I. Hummel dealer’s plaques in Robert Miller’s Golden Anniversary Album, this unique item is currently the only known painted example and was located in Germany in 1975 by Major Larry Spohn and his wife Anne. It was purchased by Robert L. Miller for his own collection and may now be in someone else’s. All of the lettering on this plaque is in mixed case and the location of the W. Goebel Hummel Porzellanfabrik is indicated as being Oeslau, Germany. Master sculptor Reinhold Unger modeled this in 1950 and the purpose or reason for designing it this way is unknown.

HUM 213 – Spanish Hummel Dealer’s Plaque

Spanish Dealer’s Plaque
Closed Edition (CE)
Full Bee TMK-2, Width – 5½”

The Spanish Dealer’s Plaque is considered extremely rare as apparently only a very limited number of this figurine were produced. It was first modeled by master sculptor Reinhold Unger in 1951 and is a Closed Edition (CE). This piece is part of a serious collectors selection of rare and unique figurines.

HUM 214 A – Virgin Mary and Infant Jesus
(one-piece)

Height – 6½”
Closed Edition (CE)
The nativity set was first produced and sold in 1952 having been modeled by master sculptor Reinhold Unger in 1951. The set was sold in white overglaze finish but is no longer sold this way and is considered rare and usually brings a premium. Early production of this HUM 214 A as the Virgin Mary and Infant Jesus was made in one figurine only in the Full Bee TMK-2 trademark and due to production difficulties, it was from then on made as two separate pieces beginning with the Full Bee trademark, each having the same number, 214 A, incised on the bottom of each one. This one-piece unit was sold in white overglaze finish as well as being offered in full color and both are considered to be quite rare and are now considered a Closed Edition (CE). The white glazed version had a Buy It Now price of $540 plus $21 shipping on eBay on 9 October 2020. The color version, including HUM 214 B Joseph had a Buy It Now price of $1,200 plus $42 shipping. Miller’s estimate in 2003 was between $2,500 to $3,000 for the white glazed HUM 214 A and $2,000 to $2,500 for the color version.

There was an auction on 21 November 2020 of the Donald Deeks collection where this 6¾ inch figurine with a Full Bee TMK-2 trademark, incised 214A and blue stamped “© W. Goebel” was auctioned for $375.00.

Values colored and white:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $2,000 to $2,500, $2,500 to $3,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $2,000 to $2,500, $2,500 to $3,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $1,200 to $1,500, $1,500 to $1,800

HUM 214 J – Nativity Donkey (Prototype Set)

Height – 5”
A very unusual find on eBay. According to the seller, this is a Goebel archive sample donkey prototype kit of six different examples to consider for the nativity donkey HUM 214 J with an average height of 13cm. The trademark is that of the Stylized Bee TMK-3. Master sculptor Reinhold Unger modeled these in 1951 and the nativity set was first produced and sold in 1952. This was located on 1 August 2021 for a Buy It Now price of $797.15 plus $58.10 shipping from Coburg, Germany.

HUM 219 2/0 – Little Velma

Height – 4¼”
Full Bee TMK-2
This figurine is considered a Closed Edition (CE) due to being produced in very limited numbers and was never officially released from the factory due in part that it bears a close resemblance to two other figurines. To date, there have been an estimated 15 to 20 examples located. It was designed by master sculptor Reinhold Unger in October of 1952 and received an unofficial name of Little Velma in honor of the name of the lady who brought it to the attention of Robert L. Miller. It was never placed in regular production due to its similarity to several other pieces, namely HUM 195 – Barnyard Hero and HUM 201 – Retreat to Safety. The Little Velma figurines were considered to be distribution samples and since it was never produced, Goebel never gave it a name. The majority of these figurines have been traced to Canada and it is currently not understood why they were shipped there and only Canada. The Eagles of War website shows sales prices at three auctions of this figurine at $2,999 on 19 October 2011, $3,249 on 23 October 2011 and $817 on 8 July 2019.

On 21 February 2014, Anthony Mon created a YouTube video demonstrating the HUM 219 2/0 he had obtained to auction off with a starting price of $4,000.00. This one had the same markings as the one illustrated above with the addition of a signature by master sculptor Gerhard Skrobek, dated 11.12.85.

A figurine which was part of the Donald Deeks Collection was auctioned on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $750.00 and is now part of a very large private collection of rare and unusual M.I. Hummel figurines.

More recently, another one showed up on eBay on 12 March 2022 and sold for C $989.95 ($787.39 US) from Canada. The gentleman who sold this one said he had seen five come through his auction house located in Canada over the span of several years.

As of December of 2022, another example has shown up on eBay. This HUM 219 2/0 has the same TMK-2 (R) trademark and “© W. Goebel” as the one above but also has inked in the description of “Barnyard Heroine”. With two days to go and 20 bids thus far, the auction price has reached the price of $860.00 plus $15.00 economy shipping from Palos Heights, Illinois.

HUM 221 – Happy Pastime, Candy Box

     Height – ? inches
     Closed Number (CN)
     This candy jar was made as a sample only and was never produced for sale. First modeled by master sculptor Arthur Möeller in 1952, there are no known examples in any private collections. According to Robert Miller’s Authorized Supplement to HUMMEL, this number was originally listed as “Unknown,” as factory records indicated it as a Closed Number (CN). HUM 221 was planned at one time to be a glamorized version of the present Candy Box HUM III/69. The main difference was the addition of flowers and blossoms on the top and sides of the box which would have been very vulnerable to damage. The bird was also positioned in front of the girl and her kerchief was without polka dots. If an example of this figurine is located, it should be insured for between $3,000 and $6,000.

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $5,000 to $10,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $5,000 to $10,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $3,000 to $6,000

HUM 222 – Madonna Plaque
with metal frame

     Size – 4″x 5″
     Closed Edition (CE)
     Full Bee TMK-2
     Master sculptor Reinhold Unger modeled this in 1952 and it can be found in two different styles with the metal frame. It has also been found in the Full Bee TMK-2 without the frame but is not known if it was sold this way. The back was typically covered with either a gray or a tan felt backing covering the mold number 222 and the trademark. It was produced in only the Full Bee and the Stylized Bee trademarks in low numbers. The Full Bee is valued upwards of $750 if found in good condition. I found this certain beautiful plaque on eBay with a Buy It Now asking price of $625 on October 28, 2020.

The figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $125.00.

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $750 to $1,250
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $750 to $1,250
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $450 to $750

HUM 226 – The Mail Is Here

   Height – 5½”
     Full Bee TMK-2
     The German Postillion, occasionally called the “Schwager” (brother-in-law), was the coachman in the uniform you see here in the yellow horse-drawn carriage. He carried, not only the letters and mail, but also people and provided all his customers with the latest news by announcing his arrival with the post horn. His horn provided him with priority on the roads when approaching an intersection so that it would be cleared for him making sure he was always on time. The monthly newsletter published by the Hummel-Manufaktur was christened with the name of the “Hummel-Postillion” bringing you the latest news from the company and they use this as their logo.

This interesting and rather different type of M.I. Hummel figurine was first molded in 1952 by master sculptor Arthur Möeller. Originally called the “Mail Coach” in earlier catalogs, it usually has the incised 1952 copyright date on the bottom and some examples have been found with the signature with a very light “M.I. Hummel” painted due to the faint impression. The first models in all catalogs and price guides show it beginning with the Full Bee TMK-2 trademark. An earlier example of the sketch by Sister Hummel may be found with the HUM 140 – The Mail Is Here plaque that was introduced with the Crown TMK-1 trademark.

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $1,100 to $1,350
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $1,150 to $1,350
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $660 to $840

HUM 228 – Good Friends table lamp

     Height – 7½”
     Arbeitsmuster
     Red Line
     Stylized TMK-3
     This lamp was first molded in 1953 by master sculptor Arthur Möeller as a Full Bee TMK-2 and has received several minor restyling modifications since. The Good Friends table lamp was “Temporarily Withdrawn” (TW) from production on December 31, 1989. Notice the Red Line mark that is painted around the base of this Stylized Bee TMK-3 figurine. This indicates that this certain figurine was used as a “perfect” model with the paint scheme to use on all others by the artists as the standard. Also notable is the inked in mold number under the base indicating this is an Arbeitsmuster figurine. The Eagles of War web page indicates that this was purchased from Facebook on October 24, 2019.

HUM 231 – Birthday Serenade, Table Lamp

Full Bee TMK-2
Instruments swapped
Designed by master sculptor Reinhold Unger, it takes the figurine HUM 218 – Birthday Serenade and adds the lamp fixture to the back as a tree. The old model in the Full Bee TMK-2 shows the same design with the girl playing the accordion and the boy playing the flute. The newer model designed by master sculptor Rudolf Wittman, beginning with Last of the Bee TMK-5 trademark, has the reverse of the children holding the instruments with the girl playing the flute and the boy playing the accordion. The old design lamps in the Full Bee measure about 9¾ inches tall and are noted to be fairly scarce. The lamp was Temporarily Withdrawn (TW) as of 31 December 1989. This figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $425.00.

HUM 236/A – Angel Duo on Tree,
Praying and Harp
HUM 236/B – Angel Duo on Tree,
Trumpet and Mandolin

Closed Numbers (CN)
These figurines were modeled by master sculptor Arthur Möeller in 1954 as samples but were not approved by the Sießen Convent and were never put into production. These samples were located at the Goebel factory in 1984 and put on display at the Goebel Collectors’ Club in Tarrytown, N.Y. There are no other known examples of these two figurines. HUM 236/A has one angel playing a harp at the base of the tree while the other is seated on a tree limb above praying or singing. HUM 236/B has an angel playing a mandolin and the seated angel above is playing a trumpet or lute. Robert Miller has the estimated value of each between $10,000 and $15,000 in his 9th Edition Price Guide but may be less than that now according to Heidi Ann Von Recklinghausen in her 2013 edition at $6,000 to $9,000 each. That is still a very good incentive to keep an eye out for one or both of these.

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $10,000 to $15,000 each
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $10,000 to $15,000 each
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $6,000 to $9,000 each

HUM 241 – Angel Joyous News with Lute

Full Bee TMK-2
Closed Number (CN)
Designed by master sculptor Reinhold Unger in 1955 and has a blue stamped 1955 copyright date. This item was made as a sample only and not produced for sale as an open edition. There are only a handful of examples known of this font are now in private collections of which one may be seen in the Don Stephens Museum in Rosemont, IL. The incised M I Hummel signature is on the back with a written mold number of 241, the master painter Robert Linder’s initials and date painted of August 1955. It is listed as a Closed Number on 6 April 1955. This figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $375.00. It is now part of a private collection of rare and unusual M.I. Hummels.

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $1,500 to $2,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $1,500 to $2,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $900 to $1,200

The HUM 241 number was then used for Angel Lights, Candleholder released in 1978 and created by master sculptor Gerhard Skrobek.

HUM 247 – Standing Madonna With Child

    Height – 11½” and 13″
     Three Line TMK-4
     Closed Number (CN)
     This figurine was modeled by master sculptor Reinhold Unger in 1955 and restyled as a smaller version by Theo R. Menzenbach in 1961 but both were rejected by the Sießen Convent for unknown reasons. They were never produced as an open edition and the only examples are in the factory archives with the exception of this beautiful Three Line TMK-4 version, which according to Eagles of War, was sold for $14,996.

HUM 249 – Madonna and Child

     Height – 6¾″
     Wall Plaque in relief
     Closed Number (CN)
     This wall plaque was made as a sample only and not produced for sale as an open edition. Similar to the HUM 48/V with the exception of a background or a frame. Actually, the piece that was seen was simply a cut-out of HUM 48/V in an unfinished state, with no number or signature on the back, apparently an idea that was rejected or stopped before it was even completed. Possibly the work of master sculptor Reinhold Unger who modeled the first HUM 48 in 1936. It differs from all other known wall plaques except HUM 263, Merry Wanderer. All other plaques have bas-relief figures on a square or rectangular background with an integral ceramic frame. HUM 249 has no background, only the bas-relief of the Madonna and Child as the entire piece. There is no integral ceramic frame.

HUM 255 – Stitch In Time

Height – 7½”
Arbeitsmuster
Here are two examples of Stitch In Time under which both bases have the Hum number 255, one with the trademark 6 in white glaze and the other with the older trademark 4 as the painted version. Both figurines have the copyright date 1963. On the base of the white one is in blue color written “ARBEITSMUSTER ” and on the metal tag is written ARBEITSMUSTER W.GOEBEL RÖDENTAL which shows that this is not a normal piece but can be considered a MASTERPIECE. The signature is Ki 1.91 which reflects the master painter Franz Kirchner in January of 1991. The literal translation of Arbeitsmuster from German to English is “work pattern”. These two were located together on eBay the later part of July of 2023 from gorgasnegras in Germany.

HUM 258 – Which Hand?

Height – 5.31″
Red Line
As a collective effort from the master sculptors, this figurine was created in 1962. It can clearly been seen as being a part of a sketch which also included two children, the same used for HUM 196 – Telling Her Secret. This has a RED LINE on the base and under the base is the copyright date from 1963 and a MASTERPAINTER signature from GN 11/69 which reflects Günther Neubauer in November 1969 along with the Three Line TMK-4 trademark. This indicates this figurine is considered a MASTERPIECE, and not a piece from the current production.

This certain figurine was sold on eBay on 3 October 2021 for a price of $102.50 and $60 shipping charge from Neutraubling, Germany.

HUM 259 – Girl with Accordion

Height – 4¼″
Closed Number
As a collective effort from the master sculptors in 1962, this figurine shows a girl playing an accordion very much like the little girl in HUM 218 – Birthday Serenade as well as others. This was created as a sample only and was not produced for sale as an Open Edition (OE) and is considered a Closed Number (CN) as of 8 November 1962. An example was located as late as 2001 with the TMK-4 Four Line trademark and a painting date of O.B. TR/63.

An auction with the Stein Auction Company on 10 August 2022 offered many beautiful examples of rare figurines in one place, all total from one collection. The starting bid for this TMK-4 Four Line trademark sample was set for $500 and is reported to be in mint condition. Notice that the HUM mold number 259 has been inked within the inscribed portion indicating it to be reserved. The final auction winning bid was $675 plus an auctioneers fee.

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $10,000 to $15,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $5,000 to $10,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $6,000 to $9,000

HUM 309 – With Loving Greetings

Height – 3½″
Master sculptor Karl Wagner designed this figurine in 1955 during the Full Bee TMK-2 era but it was not introduced into production until 1983 with an issue price of $80.00. This certain version of the figurine was more complex due to having a paintbrush under the little boy’s arm and judged to be too vulnerable to breakage and was removed from the production model. Early samples of this may also be found with the trademarks TMK-2, TMK-3, TMK-4 as well as TMK-5 but are rare.

During the Missing Bee TMK-6 period, the color of the inkwell was changed from blue to brown and the writing on the paper was changed from turquoise to blue. As a side note, not mentioned in the current literature, the bottle top was not included in the production pieces either as it is shown here. This piece was photographed from a private collection.

Values with pen under arm:
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $2,000 to $3,000 TMK-2, $3,000 to $4,000 TMK-3, $2,000 to $3,000 TMK-4, $1,000 to $2,000 TMK-5
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $2,400 to $3,000 TMK-2, $1,800 to $2,400 TMK-3, $1,200 to $1,800 TMK-4, $600 to $1,200 TMK-5

HUM 314 – Confidentially

Height – 5¼” – 5¾″
Master sculptor Horst Ashermann designed this figurine in 1955 but it was not introduced into production until 1972 with an issue price of $22.50. Soon after the first of the figurines were available for sale, master sculptor Gerhard Skrobek redesigned Confidentially with a stronger stand for the cactus, as well as putting a bow tie on the little boy, changed his hair style and the finished texture of his clothing was modified and now shows a copyright date of 1972.

The update occurred in 1972 so the old design and the new design can both be found in the Last of the Bee TMK-5 trademark. The old style is naturally valued at a higher price due to the short period of time this trademark had the old style. In most cases, the value of the old style in Last of the Bee TMK-5 is more than twice that of the new style within this trademark. The earlier versions with the old style have a copyright date of 1955 in the Full Bee TMK-2, Stylized TMK-3 and Three Line TMK4 trademarks and reflect their values accordingly, especially the Full Bee TMK-2 and Stylized Bee TMK-3 since they were samples. It is currently listed as Temporarily Withdrawn (TW) as of January 1999. This figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $150.00.

Values of TMK-2, TMK-3, TMK-4 samples and TMK-5 old style:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $4,000 to $5,000, $2,000 to $3,000, $1,000 to $2,000, $800 to $950
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $4,000 to $5,000, $2,000 to $3,000, $1,000 to $1,200, $800 to $950
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $2,400 to $3,000, $1,200 to $1,800, $600 to $1,800, $480 to $570

HUM 319 – Doll Bath

Height – 5¼”
Arbeitsmuster, Red Line

This figurine was first designed by master sculptor Gerhard Skrobek in 1956 and produced in early sample form during the Full Bee TMK-2 period but was not released until 1962. These pieces are said to be worth substantially more than later releases. This example is that same Full Bee version as well as being a Red Line version and was used as the “perfect” figurine to paint from thus making it even more rare. Notice the red line that is painted around the full base and the attached metal tag to show how important this model was. Note the inked and incised mold number and copyright date of 1956 signifying this as one made from the mother or master mold. Also on the bottom of the base is the stamped Full Bee TMK-2 trademark backstamp and master artist, Günthur Neubauer’s early signature with the date of March 1957 in black ink. The price to purchase this figurine was $4,500 plus $34.95 shipping on eBay, 6 October 2020.

HUM 321 – Wash Day

Full Bee TMK-2
Modeled in early 1955 by master sculptor Reinhold Unger and Helmut Wehlte with an incised date of 1957 copyright, it was first introduced to the U.S. market in 1963. If found with a Full Bee TMK-2 trademark, this would be considered a rare find as it was an early sample only. The older pieces were typically a little larger at 5½ to 6 inches tall. Robert Miller appraised the Full Bee at between $4,000 and $5,000 whereas Heidi Ann Von Recklinghausen had a lower appraisal at $2,400 to $3,000. Well worth looking for at either amount!

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $4,000 to $5,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $4,000 to $5,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $2,400 to $3,000

HUM 326 – Being Punished, Wall Plaque

Possible Future Edition
Full Bee TMK-2
Modeled in early 1955 by master sculptor Gerhard Skrobek and the first sample was painted by master painter Harald Sommer in September 1955, this figurine was originally called “Naughty Boy” on the factory records but was later changed to Being Punished. This figurine is an early sample model with the Full Bee TMK-2 trademark and has the incised model number inked in with black ink to designate it as a painters sample. It has not been released for public production but may be later as a Possible Future Edition (PFE). This figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $3,000.00.

HUM 327 -Run-A-Way

Full Bee TMK-2
Early sample
Modeled in early 1955 by master sculptor Helmut Wehlte with an incised 1955 copyright date and introduced to the market in 1972. Older trademarks such as the Full Bee TMK-2 and Stylized Bee TMK-3 are considered rare as it was the Three Line TMK-4 that was first produced for the market. The early sample shown here is the Full Bee TMK-2 valued at between $4,000 and $5,000 by Robert Miller but sold for $2,031.99 on 16 October 2017.

HUM 329 – Off to School

Possible Future Edition
Stylized Bee TMK-3
Painter’s sample
Modeled in early 1955 by master sculptor Arthur Möeller with an incised 1955 copyright date inked in with black ink to show that it is a painters sample. This piece is an early sample painted by the master painter in August of 1954. Originally called “Kindergarten Romance” on the factory records, but later changed to “Off To School.” The boy is similar to HUM 82 – School Boy, while the girl is completely new. This piece has not been put into production but may be later as a Possible Future Edition (PFE). This figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $800.00.

HUM 331 – Crossroads

     Height – 6¾″
     Multiple Trademarks
     The figurine Crossroads is, by all accounts, one of the favorites of many collectors. This certain one, however is quite different than any other figurine I have run across to date and is possibly unique. There are many figurines that have the dual Crown TMK-1 in addition to the Full Bee TMK-2 trademarks but I have never seen any other combination of trademarks, much less one that has two but skips the one in-between. This figurine exhibits such an interesting situation having both Stylized Bee TMK-3 and the Last of the Bee TMK-5 trademarks and was for sale on eBay as a Buy It Now for $750 plus $14 shipping on 24 November 2020.

As an example in contrast to value recently, I was able to find a very similar HUM 331 Crossroads Last of the Bee TMK-5 figurine just two weeks prior for the total price of $42.84. The unique one shown here with an earlier trademark of Stylized Bee TMK-3 has a value six times the Last of the Bee TMK-5 version of mine according to Robert Miller but certainly multiplies that once again with its unique combination of skipping one period of time and being stamped with the another, second trademark. It has earned a place on this page as being a rare Hummel for sure and have to wonder what Mr. Miller would have said about this one!

The postcard that reflects Sister Hummel’s original sketch shows just how accurate the figurine is and is numbered number 913.

HUM 335 – Lucky Boy

Height – 5¾”
Prototype
Full Bee TMK-2
Originally modeled by master sculptor Arthur Möeller in 1956 with an incised 1956 copyright date and an early Stylized Bee TMK-3 trademark, this prototype is larger by one and a quarter inches than production models released in 1995 in four and a half inch heights. Samples were produced in both the Full Bee TMK-2 as well as this Stylized Bee TMK-3 trademarks. The original name was “Fair Prizes”.

This example was painted by master painter Franz Kirchner in August of 1959, has the incised mold number 335 inked in to denote it as a sample, incised copyright date of 1956, artists initials and date of painting and the early Stylized Bee TMK-3 trademark stamped within an incised target circle and a black stamped copyright note “by W. Goebel”. This figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $100.00.

Values of TMK-2 and TMK-3 early samples:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $4,000 to $5,000, $3,000 to $4,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $3,000 to $5,000, $3,000 to $4,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $2,400 to $3,000, $1,800 to $2,400

HUM 336 – Close Harmony

Height – 5¼” – 5½ ”
Full Bee TMK-2
Stylized Bee TMK-3
Originally modeled by master sculptor Gerhard Skrobek in 1956 and has been found with incised copyright years of 1955, 1956 and 1957, Skrobek restyled this figurine in 1962 but it retains the incised 1955 copyright date. The Full Bee TMK-2 model is the one to search for as it is the early sample and very scarce. The Stylized Bee TMK-3 is also worth keeping an eye out for due to the very limited production. These older versions have variations in the girl’s hairstyle, tilt of the head and the varying position of the socks on the right leg are evident. These are interesting items to look for in adding to your collection as conversation points.

Values:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $4,000 to $5,000, $1,000 to $1,500
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $4,000 to $5,000, $1,000 to $1,500
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $2,400 to $3,000, $600 to $900

HUM 337 – Cinderella

     Height – 4½”
     Last of the Bee TMK-5
     Modeled by master sculptor Arthur Möeller in March of 1956 and the first sample was painted by master painter Franz Kirchner in July of 1956, this figurine of Cinderella was introduced in the U.S. in 1972. Gerhard Skrobek restyled the figurine in 1972 with the eyes looking down at the dove and it had a new, textured finish. The restyled version has a copyright date of 1972. The older models have the little girls eyes looking above the two dove (open eyes) like the one you see here and had an incised copyright date of either 1958 or 1960 with trademarks of Full Bee TMK-2 through Three Line TMK-4 and some in the next Last of the Bee TMK-5. The Full Bee TMK-2 and Stylized Bee TMK-3 trademarks are considered rare and their values reflect this. Another, even more rare version, has a fourth dove resting on the little girls left shoulder. This one was located on eBay with a Buy It Now price of $299.99 plus a shipping charge of $14.90. The most recent estimated price guide has this current value for this Last of the Bee TMK-5 at between $720 to $900. A Full Bee TMK-2 has a value placed upwards of $3,000. Make sure your eyes are open for this one.

Values for TMK-2, TMK-3, TMK-4 and TMK-5
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $4,000 to $5,000 TMK-2, $3,000 to $4,000 TMK-3, $1,500 to $1,700 TMK-4, $1,200 to $1,500 TMK-5
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $4,000 to $5,000 TMK-2, $3,000 to $4,000 TMK-3, $1,500 to $1,700 TMK-4, $1,200 to $1,500 TMK-5
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $2,400 to $3,000 TMK-2, $1,800 to $2,400 TMK-3, $900 to $1,020 TMK-4, $720 to $900 TMK-5

HUM 340 – Letter to Santa Claus

     Height – 6¼”
     Early sample
     Red Line
     This figurine is very popular during the Christmas season. Originally designed by master sculptor Helmut Wehlte in 1956, it was restyled a few times. This Full Bee TMK-2 Full Bee prototype shows the mailbox attached to a tree trunk while the figurines that were eventually sold had the mailbox connected to a wooden post with part of the post rising almost one inch above the box. The Full Bee TMK-2 and Stylized Bee TMK-3 versions had sides of the mailbox in the shape of a V extension in contrast to a raised horn on either side. Other differences were the little girl’s hat was darker blue and the pants were a shade of grey-green instead of red-orange. Notice also that this figurine is a Red Line version. Heidi Anne Von Recklinghausen’s price guide has the prototype value between $9,000 and $12,000. The original issue price in 1971 was $30.

Here is another view from the other side of this famous figurine of which, given the evidence, it may even be a unique piece. This one was purchased at an auction and is now in a private collection. I apologize for the blurry photograph and hope to have the opportunity to take a clearer picture of this special piece again.

HUM 348 – Ring Around the Rosie

Height – 6¾” – 7″
Full Bee TMK-2
First modeled by Gerhard Skrobek in 1957, it was introduced in 1960 for the 25^th anniversary. Older models such as the Full Bee TMK-2 early sample and Stylized Bee TMK-3 were slightly larger. Originally priced upon introduction at only $70, these highly prized figurines have been appraised by Robert Miller for as much as $10,000 to $15,000 for the early sample and as much as $5,000 for the Stylized Bee TMK-3 version.

Values for TMK-2 and TMK-3:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $10,000 to $15,000, $4,000 to $5,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $10,000 to $12,000, $4,000 to $5,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $6,000 to $9,000, $2,400 to $3,000

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 353 – Spring Dance

Height – 5¼” and 6¾”
Stylized Bee TMK-3
First modeled by a combination of sculptors in 1962, it was introduced in 1964 to the U.S. market. Notice that these are two of the girls from HUM 348 – Ring Around the Rosie above and have been appraised by Robert Miller for as much as $3,000 to $5,000 for the early sample. Both sizes appraised for the same amount in the early sample Stylized Bee TMK-3 but the smaller size, 353/0, has been considered rare having been produced in very limited quantities in 1964 and then not again until 1978. Look for the figurines with the Stylized TMK-3 trademark in the 353/0, 353 and 353/I markings. You may just find one.

Values of the early sample:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $3,000 to $5,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $3,000 to $5,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $1,800 to $3,000

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 375 – Morning Stroll

Height – 4¾”
Three Line TMK-4
Modeled by master sculptor Gerhard Skrobek in 1964 with an incised 1964 copyright date and a Three Line TMK-4 trademark, this originally called figurine, “Walking the Baby” was an inch taller than the released version in 1991. A later, smaller version, was restyled by master sculptor Helmut Fischer and was introduced to the U.S. market in 1994. The sample figurine you see here is an earlier version with a Dachshund running alongside of the carriage and was not produced. This figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $1,000.00.

Values for the early sample:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $3,000 to $4,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $3,000 to $4,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $1,800 to $2,400

HUM 384 – Easter Time

Height – 4″
Three Line TMK-4
Originally sculpted by master sculptor Gerhard Skrobek in January of 1967, it wasn’t introduced in to the United States market until 1972. The original introductory price that year was $27.50. There must have not been very many bearing the Three-line TMK-4 trademark as Robert Miller’s price guide for 2003 shows these valued at between $1,000 and $1,500 in comparison to the next trademark of Last of the Bee TMK-5 valued between $325 and $350. That was quite a difference when comparing to other figurines. The asking price on eBay Buy It Now was $1,500 with free shipping. If you find one of these with a Three Line TMK-4 trademark, it may be worth your investment, if it is within your price range.

HUM 395 – Shepherd Boy

Height – 6¾”
Last of the Bee TMK-5
Modeled by master sculptor Gerhard Skrobek in 1971 with an incised 1972 copyright date and a Last of the Bee TMK-5 trademark, originally called, “Young Shepherd” was taller than the released version in 1996. When released to the public, it was done so in a smaller version without the fence and the bird, but with a “125th Anniversary Goebel” backstamp. This example has in incised mold number of 395 and incised copyright date of 1972 with the blue stamped Last of the Bee TMK-5 trademark and the initials of master painter Franz Kirchner dated November 1973. Shepherd Boy was temporarily withdrawn (TW) from production on June 15, 2002. This figurine was part of the Donald Deeks Collection held at auction on Saturday, 16 January 2021 in Clearwater, Florida and sold for $175.00.

Values of the early sample:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $3,000 to $4,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $3,000 to $4,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $1,800 to $2,400

HUM 397 – The Poet

Height – 6″
Three Line TMK-4
Early sample
Modeled by master sculptor Gerhard Skrobek in 1973 with an incised 1974 copyright date, this early sample has an appraised value of between $3,000 and $4,000 from Robert Millers 2006 price guide. The sample is marked with no suffix, only the number 397 whereas the production models are ¼-inch larger and are marked as 397/I. This sample sold for $1,525 on 27 November 2011.

HUM 400 – Well Done!

Height – 6¼”
Last of the Bee TMK-5
Early sample
Modeled by master sculptor Gerhard Skrobek in 1973, this early sample has an appraised value of between $3,000 and $4,000 from Robert Millers 2006 price guide. This sample sold for $1,326 on 27 November 2016.

HUM 409 – Coffee Break

Height – 4″
Early sample
Last of the Bee TMK-5
This example is signed by Robert Miller with the date of 1 Dec ’83 as well as having his “sticker” showing this was from his Private Collection on the bottom indicating this certain piece belonged to he and his wife Ruth at one time.

Modeled by master sculptor Gerhard Skrobek in 1976, the production version wasn’t introduced until 1984 with the TMK-6 trademark exclusively for the members of the Goebel Collector’s Club as the eighth edition. You can see the 1976 copyright date incised on the bottom along with the number 409 but this one has the decal for the earlier TMK-5 trademark.

The color of this figurine is quite different. Instead of being the more typical white glazed as seen on other figurines, this appears to have an almost ivory colored glaze. There are some examples, such as the HUM 5 – Strolling Along that are noticeably off-white in color but this is almost more of a light tan in color.

Robert Miller’s 2003 9th Edition Price Guide has early sample TMK-5 trademark figurines priced at between $3,000 and $4,000 for the colored versions. There isn’t anything indicating what this certain ivory colored item is appraised at but it definitely drew his attention enough to compel Miller to purchase it.

HUM 410/3/0 – Little Architect

Height – 4″
Missing Bee TMK-6
Possible Future Edition (PFE)
This Little Architect really is very little. As an early sample piece, this may possibly also be a future edition as it has not been made publicly available, yet. There is a copyright date from 1988 and a master painter signature of SM 12/88 referencing Stiller Manfred painted this in December of 1988.

Values of the TMK-5 trademark early samples:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $3,000 to $4,000
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $3,000 to $4,000
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $1,800 to $2,400

HUM 421 – It’s Cold

     Height – 5¼”
     Archivmuster
     Malmuster
     This little figurine is a good example used to model the painted surface with. The bottom shows the model number 421 in black letters, with the trademark Missing Bee TMK-6 and an incised copyright date of 1981. It also has hand written in black ink Bö 10/81 which indicates that master painter Klaus Böhm was the artist in October of 1981 and on the outside of the base is in blue letters the word MALMUSTER indicative of a painter’s example. The figurine has a metal tag tied around his neck with the words written ARCHIVMUSTER W.GOEBEL RÖDENTAL. This figurine was sold after 23 bids on 6 December 2020 on eBay, as an auction piece for $130.50 plus a $60 shipping charge from Germany.

Another, very similar, figurine with the Malmuster decal showed up on eBay with an auction date of 28 November 2021 being sold by gorgasnegras from Neutraubling, Germany for with a shipping charge of $60.00.

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”
     Missing Bee TMK-6
     Early Sample
     Modeled by master sculptor Gerhard Skrobek in 1985, this figurine was introduced in 1992 for members of the M.I. Hummel Club only as an exclusive edition for the Club year 16. It has an incised 1985 copyright date along with the Small Crown TMK-7 trademark. The piece was permanently retired on May 31, 1994 and the mold was destroyed. The rare early sample, shown here, has a square base while the normal production figurine has a round base as a quick indicator to look for in the difference between the two. Robert Miller had the sample price value set at between $2,000 and $2,500 making it a figurine to definitely watch for.

Values of the early samples:
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $2,000 to $2,500
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $1,200 to $1,500

HUM 500 – 1976 Mother’s Day plate

This number, 500, was assigned to a Mother’s Day plate but was never issued. Here is the plate as it appears and what to look for should another show up in general circulation. The plate is a solid white to ivory in color with large letters centered across the top, “MOTHER’S DAY” and the date of “1976” at the bottom center. In the middle is a relief image of a little girl picking flowers for her mother. There are thirty-three flowers on the outer edge. The back is quite plain with two holes in the top in order to hang the plate with a cord but there is no indication of the model number, trademark or anything else.

I located a similar sketch from Sister Hummel of a little girl picking flowers but not the one with pigtails and the bell type flowers as seen with the figurine HUM 609. This plate was purchased by Eagles of War from eBay for $510.00 plus $30.00 shipping on April 21, 2017. The postcard with this sketch is number 663 from 1948.

HUM 501 – 1977 Mother’s Day plate

As with the plate above, This number, HUM 501, was assigned to a Mother’s Day plate but was never issued. Here is the plate as it appears and what to look for should another show up in general circulation. The plate is a solid white to ivory in color with large letters centered across the top, “MOTHER’S DAY” and the date of “1977” at the bottom center. In the middle is a relief image of a little boy playing an accordion accompanied by a little bird sitting atop the musical instrument. The reverse side is plain with no markings. This plate matches the HUM 110 Let’s Sing figurine. According to the Eagles of War web page, this plate was purchased on April 21, 2017 for $510 plus $30 shipping.

HUM 502 – 1978 Mother’s Day plate

Here is a third number item, HUM 502, that was assigned to a Mother’s Day plate but was never issued. Here is the plate as it appears and what to look for should another show up in general circulation. The plate is a solid white to ivory in color with large letters to the left and right, “MOTHER’S DAY” and the date of “1978” at the bottom center. In the middle is a relief image of a little girl that matches the figurine HUM 13 Meditation. The reverse side is plain with no markings, no trademark. According to the Eagles of War web page with this information, the plate was purchased on July 5, 2019 for $460 from Germany.

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 621 – At Grandpa’s

Prototype
Height – 9½”
The HUM 621 figurine was first released to the U.S. market in the fall of 1994 but grandpa had a long beard that the little girl in front of him was gently pulling (see the card). The rather complicated figurine was created by a team of artists in 1993 and has the 1993 copyright date incised on the bottom. Available only to members as a Club Exclusive, the price was set at $1,300 for the limited number of 10,000 created. The item you see here has grandpa without a beard and definitely more hair on the top of his head. It is introduced as a prototype that was probably not selected by the Sießen Convent sisters for that reason as it does not reflect accurately the original sketch made by Sister Hummel.

This unique item was located on 21 September 2021 on eBay and listed for a Buy It Now price of $9,999 with $60 shipping charge from Neutraubling, Germany.

Values for the TMK-7 production piece:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $1,500 to $1,600
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $1,500 to $1,600
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $900 to $1,600

HUM 628 – Gentle Fellowship

     Prototype
     Arbeitmuster
     Height – 5¾”
   This figurine was publicly released in 1992 as HUM 628 – Gentle Fellowship but the one on the right is quite different. The prototype has the little girl in this item facing the taller girl in contrast from the smaller photograph of the publicly available model by master sculptor Helmut Fischer. What appears to be a flower in the left is different from the prototype on the right as well. The figurine shown here is an Arbeitsmuster (with the metal tag attached) with the trademark 7 along with the incised copyright date of 1992 and may also be an early sample, and is considered a masterpiece with the artist’s signature, Neu 3/92 which indicates master painter Günther Neubauer in March of 1992. The size is reported as 5.91 inches high (15 cm high). This figurine was located on eBay on 23 November 2020 and the seller had a Buy It Now price of $6,999.00 plus $60 shipping.

Values for the production piece:
2003 Lucky’s Hummel Figurines & Plates, 12th Edition – $600 to $625
2006 The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel Figurines… – $600 to $625
2013 The Official M.I. Hummel Price Guide 2nd Edition – $360 to $500

HUM 725 – Sweet Greetings, Kitchen Mold

Of the seven kitchen molds I have listed in another document, this one never was issued for some reason. Very little is known about this item other than the fact that it was located on eBay from the seller poorartlover and the image to the left may be the only photograph available for this certain Hummel with the HUM mold number 725. The image was further researched and found the sketch with the Heart box HUM 686 – Sweet Greetings. This photograph was located on the Eagles of War website.

HUM 768 – Pixie

     768 3/0 – 3¼”
     768 – 3½”
     768/I – 5½”
     Prototype
     This figurine was modeled by master sculptor Helmut Fischer in 1994 and released in 1995 with the Small Crown TMK-7 trademark. Each of the pieces that were released in 1995 have the backstamp “First Issue 1995” with an incised 1994 copyright date. The suggested issue price was $105 for the small version and $279 issue price for the larger version which was released by Manufaktur Rödental in the Fall of 2009 as a Yellow Bee TMK-9 figurine. A smaller version is now available from Hummel Gifts and the colors are very similar to this example to the right.
     The owner of this piece says it is a prototype of the current and larger size HUM 768/I Pixie and is very different in many ways. This figurine has the MASTERPAINTER signature from Ge 7/01 in July 2001. The figurine is 5½ inches high (14 cm) and has the trademark Big Bee TMK-8 and a copyright date from 2000. This larger version /I prototype does not have an apple behind her back being held in her left hand, has one open and one closed eye, is standing, not walking, no flower at the base of the walking stick and also has a different color outfit, blue instead of a red dress and a red instead of white blouse than the HUM 768/I version it represents. This one was found on the WorthPoint website.

Another of this figurine, 768/I, showed up on eBay from gorgasnegras on 21 October 2021 with a Buy It Now price of $3,999.00 and a shipping charge of $60.00 from Neutraubling, Germany. This one has a metal tag attached by wire from Goebel with the words, “W. GOEBEL, RODENTAL” on one side. It is listed as one of only three possible samples that were not sanctioned by the Sießen Convent. It bears the incised copyright year of 2000 as well as the mold number 768/I.

HUM 802 – Brave Soldier

5.12″ Height
Arbeitsmuster
Molded by master sculptor Helmut Fischer in 1996, this certain little figurine is a good example of an Arbeitsmuster and has the word in blue color on the base with a metal tag embossed with the words “ARBEITSMUSTER, W.GOEBEL, RÖDENTAL”. The figurine has the Small Crown TMK-7 trademark along with the incised copyright date of 1997. This example was located on eBay from gorgasnegras on 22 October 2021 with a Buy It Now price of $2,499.00 plus a shipping charge of $60.00 from Neutraubling, Germany.

HUM 856 – A Heartfelt Gift

5.31″ Height
Masterpiece & Arbeitsmuster
This figurine of a little girl is an Arbeitsmuster and has the word in blue color on the base with a metal tag with the embossed words ARBEITSMUSTER, W.GOEBEL, RÖDENTAL (Tip: Oeslau is the first name of the town where the company was and in the 1970s the name is changed to RÖDENTAL). Under the base is the copyright date for 2003 and a MASTERPAINTER signature from Mh 05/03 painted in May of 2003 along with the Big Bee TMK-8 trademark.

This piece was made available on eBay on 23 September 2021 beginning with a low $2.00 beginning bid and sold for $202.50 with a $60 shipping charge from Neutraubling, Germany.

Have fun collecting!’

References

Anonymous (2021). Private collection.

Arbenz, P. (1976-1978). Hummel Facts. Pat’s Columns Reprinted from The Plate Collector.

Auction.net (2022). The Stein Auction Company. Hummel Figurines, Breweriana, Beer Steins, Porcelain, Glass, Wood Carvings and more. Retrieved from https://tsaco.auction.net/auctions/catalog/id/91 on 10 August 2022.

Blackwell Auctions (2021). Blackwell Auctions. Retrieved from https://www.gotoauction.com/sales/view/254997.html

Eagles of War (2020). Eagles of War, M. I. Hummel Figurines Catalog / Reference Book. Retrieved from http://www.eow1.com/default.aspx

Hummel Gifts (2020). M.I. Hummel Gifts, The Official Shop. Retrieved from https://hummelgifts.com/

Gorgasnegras (2021). Gorgasnegras store on eBay. Retrieved from https://www.ebay.com/usr/gorgasnegras

Luckey, C. F., & Genth, D. A. (2003). Luckey’s Hummel figurines & plates: Identification and price guide. Iola, Wis: Krause.

Miller, R. L. (2006). The no. 1 price guide to M.I. Hummel: Figurines, plates, more 10th Edition. Cumberland, MD: Portfolio Press.

Miller, R. L., Ehrmann, E. W., & Pfeiffer, W. (1989). M.I. Hummel: The Golden Anniversary Album.

Recklinghausen, H. A. V. (2013). Official M. I. Hummel Price Guide, 2nd edition.

WorthPoint (2020). WorthPoint, Discover, Value, Store. Retrieved from https://www.worthpoint.com/

HUM 100 – Shrine, Table Lamp

HUM 101 – To Market, Table Lamp

HUM 102 – Volunteers, Table Lamp

HUM 103 – Farewell, Table Lamp

HUM 105 – Adoration With Bird

HUM 106 – Merry Wanderer HUM 107 – Little Fiddler Plaque with wood frame

HS 01 (HUM 108) – Angel with Two Children At Feet

HUM 109/0 – Happy Traveler

HUM 113 – Heavenly Song, Candleholder

HUM 127 – Doctor

HUM 130 – Duet

HUM 130 – Duet

HUM 133 – Mother’s Helper

HUM 136 – Friends (Terra Cotta)

HUM 137 A – Child in Bed, Wall Plaque (looking left)

HUM 151 – Madonna Holding Child

HUM 152/A – Umbrella Boy

HUM 152/B – Umbrella Girl

HUM 153 – Auf Wiedersehen

HUM 171 – Little Sweeper

HUM 172 – Festival Harmony, Mandolin

HUM 173 – Festival Harmony, Flute

HUM 176 – Happy Birthday

HUM 177 – School Girls

HUM 181 – Old Man Reading Newspaper

HUM 186- Sweet Music

HUM 192 – Candlelight, candleholder

HUM 193 – Angel Duet, candleholder

HUM 199/III – Feeding Time

HUM 203 – Signs of Spring

HUM 204 – Weary Wanderer

HUM 208 – French Dealer Plaque

HUM 209 – Swedish Dealer Plaque

HUM 210 – Schmid Bros. Dealer Plaque

HUM 211 – M.I. Hummel Dealer’s Plaque

HUM 213 – Spanish Hummel Dealer’s Plaque

HUM 214 A – Virgin Mary and Infant Jesus (one-piece)

HUM 214 J – Nativity Donkey (Prototype Set)

HUM 219 2/0 – Little Velma

HUM 221 – Happy Pastime, Candy Box

HUM 222 – Madonna Plaque with metal frame

HUM 226 – The Mail Is Here

HUM 228 – Good Friends table lamp

HUM 231 – Birthday Serenade, Table Lamp

HUM 236/A – Angel Duo on Tree, Praying and Harp HUM 236/B – Angel Duo on Tree, Trumpet and Mandolin

HUM 241 – Angel Joyous News with Lute

HUM 247 – Standing Madonna With Child

HUM 249 – Madonna and Child

HUM 255 – Stitch In Time

HUM 258 – Which Hand?

HUM 259 – Girl with Accordion

HUM 309 – With Loving Greetings

HUM 314 – Confidentially

HUM 319 – Doll Bath

HUM 321 – Wash Day

HUM 326 – Being Punished, Wall Plaque

HUM 327 -Run-A-Way

HUM 329 – Off to School

HUM 331 – Crossroads

HUM 335 – Lucky Boy

HUM 336 – Close Harmony

HUM 337 – Cinderella

HUM 340 – Letter to Santa Claus

HUM 348 – Ring Around the Rosie

HUM 351 – unknown

HUM 353 – Spring Dance

HUM 355 – Autumn Harvest

HUM 375 – Morning Stroll

HUM 384 – Easter Time

HUM 395 – Shepherd Boy

HUM 397 – The Poet

HUM 400 – Well Done!

HUM 409 – Coffee Break

HUM 410/3/0 – Little Architect

HUM 421 – It’s Cold

HUM 461 – In the Orchard

HUM 463 – My Wish Is Small

HUM 500 – 1976 Mother’s Day plate

HUM 501 – 1977 Mother’s Day plate

HUM 502 – 1978 Mother’s Day plate

HUM 106 – Merry Wanderer
HUM 107 – Little Fiddler
Plaque with wood frame

HUM 137 A – Child in Bed, Wall Plaque
(looking left)

HUM 214 A – Virgin Mary and Infant Jesus
(one-piece)

HUM 222 – Madonna Plaque
with metal frame

HUM 236/A – Angel Duo on Tree,
Praying and Harp
HUM 236/B – Angel Duo on Tree,
Trumpet and Mandolin