October 2002 - Nr. 10
M. I. Hummel in Toronto
Gerhard Skrobek, master sculptor of the Goebel Porcelain Manufacturing Company in Rödental, near Coburg, Germany, was visiting Canada on his final "Farewell" tour. He had been working with Goebel since 1951.
The Canadian tour started in Calgary, went to Edmonton and Winnipeg and finally ended up in Toronto. The artist mentioned that he already had made several trips to North America in the past and, since he speaks the language, always enjoys his excursions.
His
signature figurine "The Final Sculpt" is priced at $550.00 and will continue
to appreciate, for collectors, in the years to come as other figurines have
in the past.
I
met Mr. Skrobek at the Art House – located in the shopping concourse beneath
the Sheraton Hotel at Queen and York Streets – and found this very chipper
and amenable 80-year-young – who looks about 20 years younger - signing the
bottom of a number of his latest (and last) figurines for many Art House
customers. The Art House is one of the oldest and still functioning
collectibles store in this underground shopping concourse – and has been
owned and operated by the same family since 1973.
Since there were only a few thousand numbered copies of this figurine available worldwide it was understandable that collectors were standing in line to buy it and get it signed by the artist himself. The allotment to the Art House was sold after about 100 visitors had come to the store and had their figurines signed by Gerhard Skrobek.
N.C. Cameron – the Goebel Representatives in Canada – had arranged and advertised this event, had a representative, Garry Petovel on site to field the many questions by the visitors, and the owners had put on a spread of pastries and coffee for the visitors.
A repeat performance was scheduled for the Porcelain Shop at the Scarborough Town Centre for the following day. However this was the day of our planned and very successful cruise on Lake Ontario and I was unable to go there. This event was also quite successful I was told and both, Carolyn Thede, the proprietor and Gerhard Skrobek were pleased with the results.
If you have Internet access you might want to check out Goebel’s website www.goebel.de and find out about Berta Hummel – who later joined a convent in 1933 and was renamed Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel – that is where the "M. I." In Hummel comes from – and the fascinating history of those delightful figurines that started at the Leipzig Trade Fair (Mustermesse) in 1935, and have been coveted by collectors all over the world ever since. The Goebel Porcelain Factory started operating in 1871 and will continue for a long time to come. r.k.a.
