Questions and Answers
 

QUESTION: I have a Hummel Doll that my grandmother gave me.  She purchased it in Germany in the late 1950s.  The 10in high doll is rubber and is clothed like a Chimney Sweep.  I have searched for information about this doll.  All I found was that the doll was made in the period immediately following World War II and that Goebel ceased production because the rubber deteriorated.  I would appreciate any additional information you can provide.  --  VH, Arvada, CO, E-mail Question

ANSWER: Robert Miller’s The No. 1 Price Guide to M. I. Hummel Figurines, Plates, More… (Portfolio Press, 2000; 520 pages, $24.95) contains a detailed history of Goebel’s dolls written by Dean A. Genth.  It is important to remember that Hummel items represent just one line of Goebel products.

Goebel produced its first porcelain socket head dolls in the late 1880s.  Prior to 1900, Goebel porcelain doll heads were marked with a two-digit number and a triangular mark featuring a half moon.  After 1900, the company used a “crown” mark and the letters “W.G.”  Goebel produced dolls in four basic materials—composition, porcelain, rubber, and vinyl.  Given Goebel’s long-term doll manufacturing history, it comes as no surprise that Goebel utilized its Hummel artwork in doll production.

Hummel dolls were issued in series – 1101 Series (one doll), 1102 Series (one doll), 1500 Series (seven dolls), 1600 Series (eight dolls), 1700 Series (twenty-five dolls), 1800 Series (ten dolls), and 1900 Series (thirteen dolls).  Miller provides this information about the rubber dolls: “The rubber material was used to produce the head, arms, legs and any accessories.  Karl Wagner again is given credit for the design.  The trademark found on the rubber doll was generally the ‘Vee Bee’ mark.  The doll has hand painted eyes, movable legs, head and arms and was completely dressed.  Due to the material used in production, there are few dolls around in ‘mint’ condition.  The rubber shrinks and becomes sticky which destroys the doll and the value.  There are three sizes of dolls in this material.  Six (6) dolls are 16” tall and the series number is unknown.  The 1700 Series dolls stand 12” tall and there are known examples of these dolls.  There also was a 10” baby doll which had glass eyes instead of painted ones in this era.  The production ceased prior to 1960 when the next category of Hummel Dolls were released.”

Miller lists your Chimney Sweep doll as #1708, Felix, in the 1700 Series.  He values it in very good condition between $150.00 and $200.00.

The two rubber Hummel dolls that I see most often from the 1700 Series are Gretl (Sister) and Seppl (Brother).  Miller lists the same value range for all twenty-five dolls in the 1700 series.  Personally, I would have thought that some of the harder to find examples or those with more elaborate costuming would have been valued higher.

In late January 2005 a rubber Hummel doll, Number 1722, Skier or Ski Haserl, sold on eBay for $125.00.  The doll was described as: “Measuring 12” high…marked with ‘Hummel’ on the back of his neck.  The original (Author’s Note: period) wooden tag dangles from his right arm and is marked ‘Ski-Haserl – Original – M. I. Hummel’ on the one side while on the reverse is “W. Goebel – Oeslau’ along with the Bee above the letter ‘V.’  There is also a paper label on the skier’s right boot “M. I. Hummel – Germany.’  Insider his ski jacket is stitched a cloth label ‘Western Germany’ along with the bee above the letter ‘V.’  The doll is in absolutely pristine (excellent) condition and the rubber along with the doll’s clothes are in beautiful vivid color (no fading).  The skis and straps are in great condition as well, but the ski poles need a little touch up with glue since the original glue has dried out….”

Examples of Gretl and Seppl rubber dolls failed to attract an opening bid on eBay when initially listed with a $99.99 requested opening bid and later with a $67.50 and $50.00 opening bid.  A pair did sell for $39.99 and a single example for $20.03.

In very good condition, your Hummel Chimney Sweep doll has a value between $90.00 and $115.00.

QUESTION: I have been checking out websites and found one that is offering a 19in Franciscan Apple pattern platter.  The platter is listed as in perfect condition and marked “Franciscan Ware” and “Made in Glendale, CA, USA.” in a circle and “Hand Decorated” outside the circle.  The person is asking $425.00.  I looked up the platter’s value in a 2004 antiques and collectibles price guide and found it listed at $300.00.  What is it worth?  -- JM, E-mail Question

ANSWER: Collectibles do not have fixed prices.  In fact, there are no fixed prices in the antiques and collectibles field.  Value depends on a wide variety of factors, among which are place, time, and buyer desire.  Price guides are exactly what their title implies, a guide to value and not a price absolute.

According to Bob Page and Dale Frederiksen’s Franciscan: An American Dinnerware Tradition (Replacements, Ltd., 1999; 271 pages, $29.95), Gladding, McBean introduced its Apple pattern in February 1940.  The pattern was an immediate success.  New pieces were being added to the line by the summer of 1940.

The Franciscan Apple pattern owes its origins to Weller Pottery’s Zona pattern introduced circa 1930.  Gladding, McBean purchased the Zona molds from Weller Pottery and retooled them.  Why did Zona fail and Apple succeed?  Zona had a drab finish.  Apple was high-gloss, bright, and colorful.

The Franciscan Apple pattern has remained in production since its introduction.  It enjoyed a revival in the late 1970s/early 1980s when more than a dozen additional forms, including three sizes of baking/microwave dishes, a ginger jar, a jam jar, and a napkin ring, were added to the line.

Gladding, McBean eventually became part of the Wedgwood Group.  Production moved from Los Angeles to England in 1984.  Page and Frederiksen picture two 10 1/2in dinner plates and offer these thoughts: “The right plate was made in the U.S. (1940-1984), the left is of English production (1984 to date).  The mold used in the U.S. and England are the same, thus the basic shapes, like dinner plates, will be identical in shape regardless of place of manufacture.  It is in the handpainting and backstamp that there are differences.  English Apple continues to create new forms not made in the U.S.  As a general rule, U.S. apples, leaves and twigs are darker.”

The 19 1/4in oval “turkey” platter was only made in the United States, thus dating examples prior to 1984.  Book values that I found ranged between $225.00 and $300.00.

As with so many collectibles in today’s market, eBay is the final arbiter of value.  The 19 1/4in oval platter appears several times a month.  An example with a requested starting bid of $99.99 failed to attract any bidders.  Another example did sell for $103.50.  A third example reached a high bid of $104.01 but failed to meet its reserve.

Has the light bulb in your head gone off yet?  The secondary market value of the Franciscan 19 1/4in oval Apple pattern platter is between $100.00 and $125.00, a price at which one can be purchased on eBay by anyone with patience and persistence.

Many antiques and collectibles price guides still base their price listings on field, i.e., flea market, mall, and show prices, and not on eBay and other Internet sale results.  The time has come for price guides to reflect the true market price rather than serve as props for an obsolete, traditional market.

QUESTION: My daughter has a collection of Applause Mickey Mouse dolls—some wood and some plush.  Although she does not have the boxes in which they came, the dolls are in excellent condition.  One has a serial number of 3553/12000.  The initial selling price was $250.00.  My daughter needs to sell her collection but does not want to get ripped off.  How much are these dolls worth now?  --  AC, E-mail Question

ANSWER: If your daughter bought these dolls as investments, she already has been ripped off.  The secondary market for most, i.e., ninety plus percent, of Applause collector edition material is twenty to thirty cents on the initial retail dollar.

Check eBay.  If an Applause doll sells, the seller is lucky.  Most close without attracting a bid.  Those that do sell fall within the price range I have provided.

Stop and think.  A production run of 12000 is not limited.  Further, almost everyone who purchased this item is going to keep it.  The survival rate is extremely high.  Little wonder that supply far exceeds demand, thus keeping the secondary market price extremely low.

Sorry!

READER’S RESPONSE: In response to a question I answered about Singer Featherweight Sewing machines, Marge Zahrobsky of Fort Dodge, Iowa wrote:  “You might be surprised that a factor contributing to the popularity of the machine is due to the huge interest in quilting.  My walking buddy belongs to a quilt group of about twelve people.  When the group first formed, there were two people with Singer Featherweight machines.  Now nine of the twelve have these machines.  My friend uses her machine at home, even though she has another machine.

“The quilt groups meet in homes, churches, and quilt shops that have classrooms, where the quilters can bring their lightweight machines and work.  Quilters travel far and near to attend quilt retreats….

“We also have a person in the area that has established a reputable business repairing, buying and giving talks on the Singer Featherweight machine.

“Today I went to our sewing club meeting in a neighboring town and discovered that one of the members has at least three of these machines!  She does not travel, just uses them at home.

“In the past year I have attended estate sales where the prices were $400.00, $500.00, and $600.00 respectively for Singer Featherweight machines.”

Harry L. Rinker welcomes questions from readers about collectibles, those mass-produced items from the twentieth century.  Selected letters will be answered in this column.  Harry cannot provide personal answers.  Photos and other material submitted cannot be returned.  Send your questions to: Rinker on Collectibles, 5093 Vera Cruz Road, Emmaus, PA 18049.  You also can e-mail your questions to rinkeron@fast.net.  Only e-mails containing a full name and mailing address will be considered.

Home & Garden Television (HGTV) currently lists COLLECTOR INSPECTOR as on hiatus from January 1 through March 30, 2005.  Whether or not it returns as reruns in April depends entirely on HGTV.
 

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