The M. I. Hummel Album

Exceptional photography by Walter Pfeiffer brings the beloved Goebel figurines to the page in amazing detail, while Joan N. Ostroff and Manfred Arras economize on words to convey the essence of the art so many of us collect. These are the best 320 pages you can own if you simply love looking at Sister Hummel's little children. This is not a price list or catalog, but rather a masterful presentation of the best ceramic figurines anyone could hope to own. The third chapter alone, "The People Behind the Figurines," is worth every penny of the price of this book. The Goebel tradition of fine craftsmanship is articulated in photo essay form. Master sculptors, moldmakers, casters, assemblers, kilnsmen, glazers, and painters are captured like never before, and the complicated and many-stepped process of making the figurines is brought to your study for thoughtful appreciation. As many as forty molds are required to make some of the pieces, shedding light at last on why these beautiful little children can cost more than your new wide-screen TV.If you collect Hummels, you owe it to yourself to buy this book. You'll love it as much as you love any of your figurines.