Lost Sheep is a little shepherd boy carrying his baby lamb. Depicts the dedication and love it takes to raise any animals. He stands 5.5" tall, and is 2.5" wide at his base. He is hand painted and hand signed with the tiniest little black mark. . ™Goebel production between 1960-1972. Numbered 68
Hummel figurines were first introduced to the
German public in 1935. They were received well and became popular.
During World War II, production of the figurines was restricted, but
they were not forgotten. After the war, as the German citizenry
recovered, the figurines were sold in shops again.
The actual creation of an M.I. Hummel figurine is a laborious process.
When an image is selected for production, it is first sculpted in clay
by an experienced artist. Once the figurine is approved, the sculptor and
the master mold maker make decisions regarding the production. The
figurine must be able to be reproduced in molds, sometimes requiring the
figurine to be molded and assembled in a series of pieces. The pieces
are made from liquid ceramic, which is poured into plaster molds. The pieces are assembled using more
of the liquid ceramic as glue to hold them together. After the excess is
removed, the figurine can be smoothed so that no seams can be seen. The
figurines are allowed to dry completely then go through two firings in a
kiln. They are fired a third time to ensure color bonding and soft
surface. The figurines can then be painted. The paint colors used for
this process were especially created to match the color palette that
Berta Hummel herself used. Once the master painter prepares a sample
figurine which meets approval, then the figurines can be painted to
follow suit. Each one is lovingly painted by hand. This is a long
process, but well worth the wait.
In 2008, the last Hummel Figurine was produced, ending an era.