Collection: Goebel Berta Hummel Collection: Authentic BH Series Figurines & Ornaments

The Collector’s Guide to Goebel Berta Hummel ("BH" Series) vs. M.I. Hummel 🐝🎨

One of the most frequent questions our curators receive from estate collectors is: "What is the difference between a Berta Hummel (BH) figurine and a traditional M.I. Hummel (Hum) figurine?" While both lines celebrate the same extraordinary Bavarian artist and carry the authentic Goebel backstamp, they represent two distinct chapters of her life and artistic legacy.

From Massing & Munich to the Convent: Two Chapters of One Artist’s Life 🖌️

Born on May 21, 1909, in the picturesque market town of Massing in Lower Bavaria, Berta Hummel displayed prodigious artistic talent from childhood. At age eighteen, she enrolled at the prestigious Academy of Applied Arts (Kunstgewerbeschule) in Munich, where she mastered life drawing, watercolor, and pastel composition before graduating at the top of her class in 1931.

When Berta entered the Franciscan Convent of Siessen and took her vows as Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel, the drawings created under her religious name became the foundation for Franz Goebel’s 1935 Leipzig Trade Fair M.I. Hummel debut. However, hundreds of Berta’s vibrant pre-convent family sketches, secular postcards, and Munich Academy watercolors remained preserved by her family— led by her mother, Viktoria Hummel, and later her nephew, Dr.emann Hummel. In 1996, in collaboration with the Hummel family and the Goebel Design Group, Goebel launched the official Berta Hummel ("BH") Collection to bring those early secular drawings into three-dimensional porcelain for the first time.

At a Glance: Berta Hummel ("BH") vs. M.I. Hummel ("Hum") 📊

Identifying Feature Goebel Berta Hummel ("BH" Series) Goebel M.I. Hummel ("Hum" Series)Artistic Source Material Berta Hummel’s early family sketches and Munich Academy watercolors created prior to her convent vows (authorized by the Hummel family archive). Sketches created by Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel while at the Franciscan Convent of Siessen (authorized by the Convent).Model Number Prefix Prefixed with "BH" (e.g., BH 12 Tree Trimming Time, BH 276 Sending Season's Greetings). Incised numerical "Hum" mold number without a letter prefix (e.g., #7 Merry Wanderer, #47 Goose Girl).Signature on the Piece Features the block-script "Berta Hummel" signature decal on the underside alongside the Goebel hallmark. Features the incised cursive "M.I. Hummel" signature molded into the base rim.Color Palette & Glaze Soft, luminous pastel and watercolor tones (blush pinks, sky blues, warm creams) with a smooth satin-porcelain finish and fine hand-painted brushstrokes. Traditional earthy Bavarian mineral pigments (ochre, terracotta, loden green, cobalt) under Goebel’s classic velvety matte earthenware glaze.Production Era & Studios Introduced in 1996 by Goebel (including Studio Hummel releases) and crafted in Goebel-supervised Asian porcelain studios to make authentic Hummel art accessible to new collectors. Continuous production in Rödental, Bavaria, Germany, from 1935 (TMK-1) to the present day (TMK-8/TMK-9).
        
      Multi-Figure Playtime Classic:Berta Hummel #231 "Jump For Joy" Three Girls ($94.99) →
        
      Winter Mailbox Vignette:BH276 "Sending Season's Greetings" ($84.99) →
        
      Dated Holiday Heirloom:1997 "Heavenly Trio" Berta Hummel Ornament ($39.99) →

Craftsmanship, Color Palettes & Curated Home Styling 🌸🏡

When you examine a Goebel Berta Hummel figurine up close, you will notice how the delicate, hand-painted brushstrokes capture the airy pastel color palettes of Berta’s Munich Academy watercolors. Because the BH series often depicts tender domestic moments—toddlers hugging plush teddy bears at bedtime, children caroling by snow-covered lampposts, and seasonal calendar girls—they pair effortlessly in a cabinet alongside traditional M.I. Hummels, the warm alpine maple wood grain of Sarah Kay ANRI woodcarvings, the deep oxblood glazes of Royal Doulton Flambé, and the pastel sheen of Spanish Lladró.

    ✨ Curator’s Placement Tip: Because of their gentle watercolor-inspired tones and heartwarming childhood themes, Goebel Berta Hummel figurines make a charming focal point when arranged on a painted nightstand in a Shabby Chic bedroom or nursery, or grouped alongside snow-dusted village houses on a Grandmillennial holiday mantelpiece.
  

• The Beloved "Bedtime & Teddy Bear" Series: Collectors adore Berta Hummel’s cozy nursery figures—including BH239 Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, BH205 Tuck Me In, BH66 With Love, and BH298 Night Night Teddy—which make thoughtful baby shower and christening keepsakes.
• Festive Winter Carolers & Snowmen: Bring Bavarian holiday nostalgia to your buffet or Waechtersbach Christmas table with winter vignettes like BH276 Sending Season's Greetings, BH12 Tree Trimming Time, BH18 Holiday Harmony, and BH 82/2/0 Crowning Touch.
• 1970s Schmid "Sister Berta Hummel" Commemorative Plates: Prior to the 1996 Goebel BH figurine launch, the Hummel family licensed select pre-convent drawings to Schmid in West Germany for annual commemorative plates—such as our in-stock 1973 Mother's Day Plate "The Little Fisherman" (Der kleine Fischer).