Many people collect Goebel dogs, cats, rabbits or birds. I know a collector who has over 600 different Goebel items that are either cats or figurines with a cat on them, and there are hundreds more that she doesn’t even know about yet. Many of her pieces are functional pieces such as ashtrays, creamers, tea pots, salt and pepper sets, etc. A collector could do the same with dogs, rabbits or birds, but the older pieces begin to get quite expensive.
This column will be devoted to an array of the more unusual animals Goebel made in the late 70’s and early 80’s. These are quite collectible as they can still be found at reasonable prices at flea markets, antique malls and shows and at auctions.
Most of these figurines bear the new Goebel numbering system which was gradually adopted during the 70’s. It consists of 7 digits and are usually found incised into the bottom of the figurine. The first two numbers depict the series to which the figurine belongs. The next three identify the item. The last two is the height of the figurine in centimeters. Sometimes when there was a shortage of space, only the middle three numbers were used.
The first picture is of larger figurines of bears. The single bear is over 8″ long and is marked only 025. The pair of cubs is 5 ½” tall and is 36013. The second picture depicts four smaller bears. On the left is 3660208, next is 3660406, the third holds a real high bouncing rubber ball and is 3300107 and the pair of cubs is 3651308 and can be found in black, red and light brown.
Continuing with bears, the third picture depicts a pair of cubs which is 3655807. In the center is a panda bear who is found in three different poses, but this one on a base was an exceptional find. It is a TMK 6 and has no number. On the right is a pair of cubs, 36553, and each of these cubs can be found by himself. Although the koala is not a true bear, picture four focuses on these adorable creatures. On the left is 3651808, followed by 3601809 and lastly, 36532 which is also found in two other poses.
Picture five depicts squirrels. On the left is 35018, 3551207, 528 which are also found individually, and 35529 which is found in two other poses. We begin Goebel miscellaneous animals with picture six with a guinea pig, 3550805, a badger, 437, a chipmunk, 3651907 and a ? holding a carrot with 3550708.
Picture seven continues with an otter, a fox, 3551108, a beaver, 36515, and the skunk, 526.
Picture eight begins with a raccoon, 36524 and another in a bisque finish with no number, and a bobcat, 35506.
Picture nine is dedicated solely to hedgehogs, 3551903, the gray in two sizes without a number, and the entire family, 3550203.
Many of you may not like rodents, but this is my column so picture ten shoes mice, 35794 which is also found in two other poses, twins on a cob, 3550006, and a bisque mouse in white without a number.
