October 2024. My boss, Dana, walked into my office holding a little porcelain figurine of a boy with an umbrella. She set it on my desk like it was the crown jewels. “A client sent this to thank us for the rebrand. It’s a Hummel. I want to send something similar to a few other clients for the holidays. Can you take care of it?”
For context: I’m the office administrator for a 54-person marketing firm. I handle all the purchasing—office supplies, IT gear, promotional items—roughly $60,000 a year spread across eight vendors. As long as invoicing is clean and delivery dates are real, I’m usually happy. Rare collectibles were not on my radar.
The Search Begins
I started the way I start everything: Google. I typed in “Hummel figurines” and quickly fell into a rabbit hole. There are porcelain figurines, crystal ornaments, decorative plates, nativity sets… and yes, candle holders. Lots of candle holders.
At first, I made a classic mistake. I compared prices on a few sites and assumed one porcelain figurine was basically the same as another. It isn’t. The “same” Hummel piece can vary by hundreds of dollars depending on the mark, the model, the age, and the condition. It’s tempting to think you can just look at the price tag, but that ignores the whole authentication layer. This was my first “simplification” lesson.
The second smart thing I did was look for the official source. I started with the hummel website. That resource gave me something more useful than a product list: it had dealer listings and mark identifiers. I found a list of authorized dealers and began emailing.
The Dealer That Dismissed Us
The first dealer I contacted had an impressive online catalog. But when I told them we only needed about twenty figurines and a dozen candle holders for corporate gifts, the reply was short:
“We work with established collectors and larger retail orders. Please confirm your minimum budget.”
Maybe I read it wrong. But it felt like “Don’t waste our time.” That rubbed me the wrong way. In my experience, small doesn’t mean unimportant. The vendors who treated our $200 orders seriously in the past are the ones I still use for $20,000 projects.
I moved on to a smaller authorized dealer in Ohio. I explained the same thing: we’re a mid-size marketing firm, we need a thoughtful holiday gift for a few clients, and I’d love guidance on something classic and appropriate. Not a bulk order. Just a decent, well-priced selection.
That dealer asked questions instead of dismissing me. What’s the client’s relationship? Does the office feel modern or traditional? Should the gift be based on a classic Hummel child motif or something seasonal? She suggested pairing a figurine with a small candle holder for a cohesive set. She even pointed out which designs are easier for a first-time gift and which are more common.
And then, the twist.
A Rare Hummel Worth Real Money
Before we finalized the order, the dealer asked if I could send photos of the figurine Dana brought in. She wanted to see the bottom mark. I photographed the underside—a tiny “M.I. Hummel” with a three-line mark under the glaze. She replied:
“That piece is not one of the standard current models. The mark and the modeling suggest it’s a vintage Goebel-era Hummel, and it looks like one of the rarer designs. If it’s genuine, it could be worth significantly more than the typical figurine. Please get it appraised.”
I actually laughed. We’d had that little boy with an umbrella in our lobby for years. I’d walked past it every morning with my coffee and thought it was just a cute office knickknack. Looking back, I should have asked about that mark years ago. I didn’t because nobody did, and sometimes we only see what we expect to see.
Turns out it was a rare Hummel figurine worth real money—perhaps several thousand dollars, depending on the appraisal and market conditions. I’m not going to throw out a specific dollar amount because values shift and I don’t want to mislead anyone. But the appraisal alone changed how our company viewed the entire brand.
Suddenly, the order felt different. We were buying pieces with history, even if that history is mostly visible in a tiny porcelain mark. The dealer helped us choose a classic grouping: three different “child” figurines, each paired with a simple candle holder, plus a small nativity set for one client who celebrates Christmas. The total was under $700—a normal corporate-gift line item for us, but this time with more intention.
What I Learned About Value
This experience made me understand the phrase “worth money rare hummel figurines” in a real way. Here are the things I wish I knew earlier:
- Rare does not automatically mean expensive. You need to confirm the mark, the model, the size, and the condition. Price guides are reference points, not guarantees.
- The story behind the piece matters. A figurine from a limited production run or with a distinctive mark can attract strong collector interest.
- Authentication is non-negotiable. A “M.I. Hummel” mark on the bottom is just the start. Look for the additional lines and consult a qualified appraiser for serious pieces.
I also learned not to oversimplify the market. In collector forums, people sometimes use the phrase “bedroom Hummel” for pieces that are charming but not rare. Not every old Hummel is worth a fortune. But some are. Treating them all the same is how people overpay—or, in our case, almost gave away a valuable piece as a generic office decoration.
The Photo Book Twist
The final part of the project had nothing to do with porcelain, at least not directly. Because we were sending these gifts to clients in different states, our design team wanted a small card or photo book showing each piece and explaining its meaning. I was asked to help with the captions.
That’s how I ended up learning how to write stories for photo book pictures. It sounds simple, but it’s actually a skill. You have to look at a photograph of an object and tell a short, respectful story. For a Hummel figurine, the story might involve the artist’s inspiration, the motif of childhood, or the era of manufacture. For a generic office gift, it’s harder.
I wrote captions like this: “This figurine, known as ‘The Little Bookworm,’ dates from the post-war Goebel years and reflects the playful spirit of M.I. Hummel’s art.” Nothing grand, but it gave the gift meaning.
The Reckoning
In the end, we ordered the Hummel figurines and candle holders from the small Ohio dealer. The shipment arrived on time, packed beautifully, with a certificate of authenticity for each piece. No surprises on the invoice. That’s rare in my job.
Switching to a dealer I’d never used before involved a bit of risk. The upside was a supplier who treated a small order like it mattered; the risk was losing the price consistency of a large distributor. After seeing the results, I’d take that risk again.
The big dealer that ignored us probably doesn’t regret it. But my $700 order might have turned into a yearly tradition. The next time we need a thoughtful client gift, I know exactly who I’m calling. Small clients have a way of becoming regular clients.
And that old lobby figurine? We had it appraised by a certified appraiser, insured it, and built a small glass display case around it. Walking in every morning, seeing that little boy with his umbrella, I now remember: value isn’t about what something looks like at first glance. It’s about knowing what to look for.
If you’re considering Hummel figurines—for a gift, an office, or a client—take the time to learn the marks. Use the hummel website as your starting point. And if you’re a small buyer, don’t settle for a supplier that treats you like a nuisance. Small doesn’t mean unimportant. Good service isn’t tied to quantity.
Prices and valuations mentioned are based on the author’s experience and publicly available collector price guides as of January 2025. Always verify current market rates with a qualified appraiser.
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