Our Heritage More than one hundred and twenty five years ago, Franz Detleff Goebel and his son William realized a dream by creating their own company to produce the popular porcelain of Germany's Thuringia region. It is a dream that continues today under the guidance of the Goebel family and the source of consistent innovation in the ceramics industry. After five years of producing slate pencils, chalk boards, and marbles to appease the ruling Duke of Coburg, the Goebel family situated their factory along the River Roden in Oeslau (now Rodental) in the heart of Germany's ceramic-producing region and close to the legendary Kipfendorf clay deposits. With ready access to raw materials, easy transportation, capital, and a family "porzelliner" tradition, father and son shipped their first high-fired porcelain tableware and decorative items in 1879. At the turn of the century, the firm was one of the largest in the region with about 400 employees. William Goebel was largely responsible for the artistic direction of the company. Output focused on figurines, dolls, vases, lamps, candy dishes, and religious images. Early on, William Goebel had recognized the importance of establishing an American market. To explore this possibility, he sent his young son, Max-Louis, to work in the United States in 1889 when he was just 16 years old. After studying the retail business in this country, Max-Louis Goebel returned to Germany and built his own factory near Kronach. In 1911, he closed down this branch following the death of his father. When Max-Louis Goebel inherited the family firm, he had already learned much about the U.S. market, its people and the trade. His work with Marshall Fields and other companies gave him a grasp of the fast-paced American style of doing business and the intricacies of a free market economy. Max-Louis realized that demand in America for fine decorative porcelain at affordable prices would be tremendous. With his special artistic flair and progressive attitude, he succeeded in expanding the market for his products at home and abroad. He increased the number of master sculptors at his factory, stepping up production without sacrificing quality. With an eye toward changing tastes in fashion and design, he began forming relationships with a variety of contemporary artists and purchasing a selection of their works - a practice the company maintains to this day. In the years before World War I, the company introduced such an enormous number of products that Max-Louis became known as "Novelty Max," and the Goebel name became synonymous with innovation, variety and value. Even in the wake of World War I and the rampant inflation following the Versailles Treaty, Max-Louis never stopped innovating. In 1926, his quest for new products and new technologies led to the development of fine earthenware for figurines, setting the stage for production of M.I. Hummel® products. Like most businesses around the world, W. Goebel Porzellanfabrik suffered the aftershocks of the United States stock market crash of 1929. But in short order, the company, now led by Franz Goebel and Dr. Eugene Stocke, bounced back and began to distribute a wide array of products in the United States through its own distributing companies and distributing partners. It was at this point in time that Franz Goebel, with his keen perception of the marketplace, believed that his war-weary customers would respond to a new product, one which depicted the gentle innocence and charm of children. In 1935 the company's reputation for product innovation advanced significantly. Franz Goebel gained the exclusive rights from Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel and the Convent of Siessen to transform the artist's drawings into three-dimensional products, a pact that remains in force today. During World War II, M.I. Hummel figurines were made for export only. Once peace was declared, demand for the figurines increased, boosted in part, by their popularity among American soldiers stationed in Germany who sent them home to loved ones in the states. Throughout the 1950's the company evolved. Capitalizing on the prosperity of the Eisenhower years and America's growing fascination with film and television, a successful cooperation began between Franz Goebel and Walt Disney. The 1960's saw continued expansion. Responding to the steady growing popularity of M.I. Hummel figurines in the United States, Goebel set up a sales organization there. In 1968, Goebel of North America (formerly Hummelwerk), a wholly owned distributor of Goebel Art, was established in Mount Vernon, NY. Two years later, Goebel Promotion was formed as the administrative link between Goebel in the United States and the present company. Following the death of Franz Goebel in 1969, leadership of the company was assumed by a fifth generation of management, Wilhelm Goebel and Ulrich Stocke. In his role as General and Managing Partner, Wilhelm, like his father and grandfather before him, formed affiliations with acclaimed artists whose creations enriched and strengthened the product line. In 1971, the company celebrated its 100th anniversary. The popularity of Goebel products, especially the M.I. Hummel figurines, continued to surge. By 1977 it became necessary for the company to address the heightened sense of interest and curiosity M.I. Hummel pieces inspired, and the Goebel's Collectors Club was formed. Later renamed the M.I. Hummel Club®, it was the first organization of its kind in the industry. Envisioned primarily as a collector's information service, it has become an important promotional and marketing device to encourage and sustain enthusiasm for the brand. In 1997, Goebel launched The Berta Hummel® Gift Collection , a new line of alternative, affordable giftware inspired by Berta Hummel's imagery. The collection offers an affordable array of gift options to suit many styles and tastes, including figurines, waterglobes, musical figurines and nativity sets. In 1985, Goebel of North America relocated to new headquarters in Pennington, NJ, sharing this modern facility with the management and administrative staff of the Goebel Marketing Corporation, another subsidiary of W. Goebel Porzellanfabrik. Today alliances with acclaimed artists and designers continue to yield unique and treasured new products. In keeping with the growing demand for new and distinctive collectibles, in 2000 Goebel became the exclusive distributor of Collections of the MastersTM by Richard Simmons, an assortment of one-of-a-kind dolls meticulously reproduced by Goebel from the popular entertainer's personal collection. Nominated for several awards, the collection includes work from such notables as Annie Wahl, Cynthia Malbon, Rosemary Volpi and more. That same year, Goebel also became the North American distributor of The Whimsical World of Pocket DragonsTM, created by fantasy artist Real Musgrave. Popular in the U.K. since 1989, Pocket Dragons are loved by collectors both young and old and derived their name because their favorite nesting spots are the pockets of old tweed jackets. Goebel's collaboration with major artists continues with Artis Orbis, a collection of giftware that features artwork of world-renowned artists, including Da Vinci, Renoir and Monet among others. The assortment of pieces such as vases, plates, bowls and candlesticks are made of the finest porcelain shapes, with hand applied decals and the signature of the artist. Today, the United States represents Goebel's largest single international market. Goebel of North America currently handles many distinct lines of gift and collectible products from sophisticated decorative accessories to whimsical collectibles. It maintains its own internal product development operation that is responsible for the development and introduction of new Goebel lines into the marketplace. Committed to strengthening its retailer base and dedicated to bringing consumers and collectors a matchless variety of high quality products, Goebel of North America is perfectly poised to lead the way in bringing distinctive new collectibles to the American consumer.