Hummel Mother’s Day Plates

The Hummel name carries a lot of weight in the antiquing and collectors world when it comes to high-quality pieces. This is why you’ll often find many products being mislabeled as being an authentic Hummel collectible. Regrettably, this also applies to the “Hummel Mother’s Day Plate Series“.

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Did Goebel Ever Release a Hummel Mother’s Day Plate?

All Hummel collectibles that have been released, were produced by the Goebel company, who used the artwork of Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel as the basis for their designs.

Over the years, Goebel released a total of 8 different plate series. The three main plates series that you can collect today are the Annual Collectors Plates, the Christmas Plates, and the Mini Century Collection Plates. Yet there isn’t a M.I. Hummel inspired Mother’s Day Plate series for you to add to your collection.

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What Are Being Called Hummel Mother’s Day Plates?

When you look up Hummel Mother’s Day Plates online, there are two main plate series that pop up. One is a series of plates that were produced by Schmid, the other is from Goebel themselves.

The Schmid Produced Plates

Schmid is another West German Company that has a license agreement to use some of the artworks that were made by the same artist that the Goebel Company based their Hummel products on. Technically speaking, when their series is presented as being a Hummel “product”, it is not misleading or an incorrect labeling of the plates.

The designs used to inspire the Schmid Mother’s Day Plates are the designs that were made by Sister Berta Hummel. Sister Berta Hummel is not the younger sister or cousin of M.I. Hummel. Berta it is in fact, Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel’s birth name. When Sister Berta Hummel took her vows in 1934, she was ordained, Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel.

As a result of her name change, all of her earlier works, are attributed to Sister Berta Hummel, while the artwork that she later produced as Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel, are attributed to M.I. Hummel.

Schmid was given express permission to use the artwork of Sister Berta Hummel by her mother, Mrs. Vikoria Hummel, and Goebel have been given the rights to the artworks of Sister M.I. Hummel by the Convent of Siessen.

For more information on the life and history of Sister M.I. Hummel, please read our article The History of Hummel.

The Goebel “Mother’s Day” Series

Goebel has a series of plates that are called the Mothers Series. These plates are not based upon any of the artworks of M.I. Hummel. They were designed by renowned artist Gerhard Bochmann and featured depictions of baby animals with their mothers.

Despite the fact that these plates have been clearly signed with an incised “S. Bochmann” signature, some resellers and auctioneers feel the need to label them as “Hummels”. This is very misleading as even though the plates are a Goebel product, they are not part of the Hummel collection as they are not based on the artworks of M.I. Hummel.

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Schmid Mother’s Day Plate Series

These plates are based on the original artworks of Sister Berta Hummel. Following her death in 1946, Schmid was given express permission to reproduce her designs, by her mother, Mrs. Viktoria Hummel.

The use of “Hummel” in the name, has been the leading cause for why people mistake the Schmid Berta Hummel Mother’s Day Plate Series, as being part of the Hummel collection. As far as the artist goes, it is from the same original source. But as Schmid and Goebel are different companies, the quality of their work is very different from one another. So whether or not one accepts that the Berta Hummel designs can be classified as Hummels, ultimately comes down to personal preference.

Here are the indicators that these plates are not part of the M.I. Hummel collections:

The Schmid Mother’s Day Plate Collection

From 1972 through to 1991, Schmid released one plate each year for mother’s day. Each plate featured a unique image that was inspired by the collection of artwork given to them by Sister M.I. Hummel’s mother, and finished off with “Mother’s Day YEAR” written in a calligraphy font.

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Goebel Mothers Series

Goebel is the company responsible for producing the very Hummel Figurines and collectibles that have been popular all over the world. This doesn’t mean that all pieces produced by Goebel are Hummels. The Mothers Series is one such collection that was designed by Master Sculptor, Gerhard Bochmann.

The reason that this series has confused so many people that have been looking for Hummel mother’s day plates, is simply due to the fact that they’re assuming all Goebel products are Hummels. Please have a read of our article on the difference between Hummel and Goebel products for more information.

Here are the indicators that these plates are not Hummels:

Gerhard Bochmann’s Mother’s Series Collection

As a Master sculptor, Gerhard Bochmann was able to produce some rather impressive works of art, and his Mother’s Series is no exception. This particular collection successfully conveys the love and devotion that a mother has for her child. Even though he chose to use animals as his inspiration, he’s managed to display a mother’s tenderness, and the willingness to protect and guide her children.

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Final Thoughts

As Goebel never released an official Hummel Mother’s Day Plate, it’s up to you as to whether or not you accept the Schmid Bert Hummel plates as being true Hummels.

If you are a fan of the artworks of Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel and do not mind who produced the piece; then the Schmid’s Berta collection could make for a decent substitution.

But if you are a fan of the Goebel brand itself, then Gerhard Bochmann’s collection is true to the brand’s form, quality, and artistic expression.

Be mindful, however, of the fact that just because you think that these plates, may or may not, have any justification for being considered as valid hummel mother’s day plates; doesn’t mean that everyone else is going to agree with you.

Just be sure to collect the things that interest you. That way they will always hold some level of significance for yourself, even if others don’t appreciate them as much as you do.