YO U R M AG A Z IN E F R O M TH E W e n d t & K ü h n WO R K S HO P S
6 th E d i t i o n
2012
Dear R ea d ers ,
Selected content
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New angles on angels Versatile options for our angels with clips
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D for Dipping Grünhainichen Lexicon
5 Twelve months of figurines and fables The Wendt & Kühn calendar 6
Of timepieces and historic bunnies 2012 collection additions
12 Measures of time Cover story 15 My Wendt & Kühn Our new personalizing service 16 Master of ornamentation A portrait of Grete Kühn 18 Love strikes again in the “Green House” Continuing tradition 20 You are my star The Star Catcher Gold Edition 21 By the numbers Blossom Boy in 82 steps 22 Farewell Leaving the collection at year’s end
Lovers, collectors and fans of our products can be found all over the world: in Australia, in America, in Japan and in many European countries. Wherever you call home, there is something – in addition to the love we all feel for Wendt & Kühn articles – that connects us. The stars above. They light up the night sky, creating mythical pictures and legends. Sometimes we even want to pull them right down from the heavens out of pure joy. Which is likely just what this year’s angel o in our precious Gold Edition N– 5 from our traditional workshops has done. Full of celestial cheer, this angel proudly presents four dazzling stars plated in 24-karat gold. A deluxe edition for all those who cherish the exclusive. The handcrafted perfection and timeless elegance of our little Star Catcher is sure to inspire quite a few heavenly dreams. As with our Candle Bearer from 2011, the Star Catcher version with gold-plated base will be strictly limited to 22,222 figurines throughout the world. We present the angel with stars to you on page 20. Apropos divine encounters. A young Japanese woman got her first glimpse of Wendt & Kühn Blossom Kinder at her German mother-in-law’s house and was so enthralled by them that she and her husband set off to discover their roots. We tell the fabulous story of this great true love on page 18/19. Should you, too, possibly be planning a trip to Germany in the near future, you must absolutely come and see us – you are cordially invited! In our historical half-timbered house in Grünhainichen, the doors to the room housing our Grand Sample Cabinet open onto a priceless treasure: figures, drawings and photographs from nearly 100 years of our company history. Meanwhile, the charming Toy Village of Seiffen is just an hour away by car – and home to our spectacular Wendt & Kühn World of Figures where you can make the acquaintance of all of our angels, Blossom Kinder and music boxes in over 250 square meters of display space. By the way, the Grand Orchestra has now welcomed the xylophone player long anticipated by many collectors. All those figures we’ve welcomed back into our collection as of 2012 are fully depicted in words and pictures in this magazine. Exclusive, unique, distinctive: We regularly receive requests for one-of-a-kind Wendt & Kühn figures, often on the occasion of a once-in-a-lifetime event. We’ve always wanted to grant these special wishes since exclusivity inspires individuality. But our creations also need to stay true to our fundamental policy of only producing items from our archived designs. Staying true to the originals is the highest principle we live by in our Grünhainichen workshops. So we came up with the idea of adding personal inscriptions to selected articles – hand painted names and other dedications to make these items truly one-of-a-kind. Please see page 15 for more information on our new “My Wendt & Kühn” service. I hope you’ll enjoy all the goodies we’ve packed into this latest “eleven dot post” for you.
Claudia Baer, née Wendt
A S TH E C R O W NIN G G LO R Y on a gift from the heart or as an elegant napkin holder on a beautifully set table – a clip angel always proves an unusual eye-catcher.
N E W A N G L E S ON A N G E L S
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rünhainichen Angels® always touch a chord. Whether as a full orchestra atop the Angel Mountain or as cherubs suspended on a Christmas tree. As angels on a clip, they prove particularly charismatic, and not just on a branch. A total of 16 different musical angels perch on their golden metal clips. They play the same instruments as the large orchestra and at the same time provide for charming decor ative possibilities. Let our ideas inspire you: Give your festive table a distinctive character by using Wendt & Kühn clip angels as stylish napkin
holders. Or have them dress up place cards, gift certificates or even a creatively folded gift of cash. Carefully clip them on and you have a unique and unforgettable present. Another delightful idea is affixing a clip angel to a gift box. Clasping the ribbon, the little angels let your recipient know there is something very special inside right from the start. Naturally, the clip angels also make exceptional highlights on tastefully trimmed Christmas trees or wreaths. Simply affix to a fragrant branch and perhaps add a few more Wendt & Kühn angels on a golden ribbon or in a golden ring. Now you’re letting your true seasonal style shine through!
G R ÜNH A INICH E N L E X ICON
D f o r D i pp i n g
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aint pots set the stage for a unique spectacle: valiant little figures set on posts plunged headfirst into a dye bath. Once submerged, they’re vigorously turned to shake off any excess paint. And then comes a period of calm. The paint needs a full day to dry before the next round of dipping. The figures are dipped a total of three times: twice with primer and once with varnish. Once all these dipping steps have been completed, patience comes into play as the figures are left to dry for at least ten days. After being primed in this way, crit ical eyes assess whether any touch-ups are needed. Tiny scratches which can sometimes occur near the base of the wings, for example, are precisely filled in before an
angel can advance to the next step – an essential procedure to ensure a perfect and smooth application of paint. Further very strict quality control measures are performed before any figure is sent on to the painting department. Most figures receive a white primer. Yet other colors are sometimes also used: Some of our Blossom Kinder bathe in skin color while Santa figures don their red coats right from the start. Most of our paints and dyes are still mixed by hand by the skilled experts in our dipping department drawing on their many years of experience, eye for nuance and abundant patience. But that’s another story, one to be told in a future edition of the eleven dot post.
F r o m i n i t i a l ske t c h to finished photograph: With an expert hand, commercial artist Ralf Brenner sketches how each scene is to look. His sketches serve as the working layouts for the photographer.
Twe lv e m o n t h s
of figurines
and fables
The Wendt & Kühn calendar continues to delight enthusiasts and collectors of our figures each year anew – with magical scenes and compositions giving life to our little workshop creations. Taking a peek behind the scenes, we show how the enchanting photographic worlds are created.
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t is early spring and only a very few are thinking about next year. But the coming year is already a hot topic for the Wendt & Kühn marketing department and commercial artist Ralf Brenner. “Everything starts with composing the figures destined to play a main role in the following year,” Brenner explains. “I take the figures that have been selected and arrange them into different groups over and over again so I can see which ones work best together, which ones can tell a little story. Each month has its own characteristics, each season its own colors. The visuals on each page of the calendar need to reflect that.” Creating a harmony of color and establishing a certain mood is the true art in this work. “Lighting is absolutely crucial to creating a mood,” insists Brenner. “Bright shafts of light will evoke a summertime feeling while other times I want a soft moonlit glow to a scene.” Backgrounds and props also contribute a great deal to a photograph’s ultimate atmosphere.
TH E W e n d t & K ü h n C A L E ND A R
tells a different story from our Grünhainichen workshops each month. The dark-green wooden frame shows off each year’s interchangeable pages in their best light. Always a favorite added bonus: our exclusive calendar figure. Please note: The calendar, published exclusively in German, is only available from your Wendt & Kühn retailer.
Ralf first creates richly detailed pencil sketches of the exact arrangement of the figures, foregrounds and backgrounds he’s working with, including all the props – from white feathers and nuts to color-coordinated tablecloths and satin ribbons. Sometimes he’ll even build complete miniature sets before a single photograph is ever taken. Now the Gingerbread Angel stands amidst a bounty of nuts for December 2013. “Every nut, every angel, every branch is constantly adjusted and repositioned over and over again until the composition is absolutely perfect. That takes a steady hand and a sharp eye – and untold experimentation. It’s truly a matter of millimeters,” says photographer Silvia Rümmler. She works from the artist’s sketches, using them as guidelines for her photographs. Backgrounds and details are sometimes edited digitally, for as long as it takes until all aspects of the mini work of art – from motif and composition to color harmony and lighting – are absolutely perfect. Just like the figures themselves.
2 0 1 2 COLL E CTION A DDITION S
| Pa r t 1
Of timepieces and historic bunnies Each year, a handful of figures are selected from the Grand Sample Cabinet at our Grünhainichen headquarters to be reintroduced into our collection. Faithfully reproduced according to the historic designs of Grete and Olly Wendt, their nostalgic charm and unmistakable appeal still captivate today. We hope you enjoy this overview of our 2012 returnees. S t y l i s h t i mep i e c es
Of timeless beauty and living proof that time does not stand still at Wendt & Kühn: our enchanting, richly detailed clocks. From the many different models originally developed in the 1930s, updated yet accurate reproductions now continue the tradition in 2012. Built with a precision German quartz movement, these Wendt & Kühn wall clocks keep perfect time, distinctively! Both models are 14 centimeters (5.5 inches) tall and fea-
ture delightfully graceful details. Above the captivating yellow face encircled by flowers in the first model, five dainty birds are perched protectively around the sunny yellow arch. Meanwhile, under the nocturnal starlit sky in the second blue model, a Marguerite Angel floats down to earth.
☞ A lready have a favorite of the two? Then what better time to make it your own personal treasure! Please see page 15 for all the details. Wa l l c l o c k , ye l l o w, w i t h girl and birds
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l o n g - eare d mus i c i a n s
Bunny conductor
B u n n y mus i c i a n
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B u n n y mus i c i a n w i t h F re n c h h o r n
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With their long ears at attention, a spry bend to the legs, and bright eyes focused forward, these bunnies cut a dapper figure in their red vests. Last year, our Bunny Musicians with mandolin, pan flute and sheet of music played their way into the hearts of numerous fans. Now other sounds will fill the air as they are joined by two new Bunny Musicians with drum and French horn as well as a conductor to keep the melodic pace with the swing of his baton. By reissuing these historic bunnies, originally produced in the 1920s, Wendt & Kühn is sure to spread some extra Easter joy among those who eagerly anticipate additions to our workshop collections.
L i t t l e suspe n d e d a n ge l , w i t h f l u t e
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C h r i s t mas t ree a n ge l i n a r i n g , w i t h ba l l
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G ra c efu l C h r i s t mas t ree d e c o rat i o n s
The popular Wendt & Kühn Christmas tree angel collection welcomes two further enchanting creations this year: the small angel with flute and the Christmas tree angel in a golden ring holding a painted ball. A further inspiration for distinctive Christmas tree decorations in the inimitable style of Wendt & Kühn.
Wa l l c l o c k , b l ue , w i t h suspe n d e d
He l p i n g h a n d s
A n ge l
Without the tiny Marguerite Angels, the annual bustling Christmas preparations would almost be unthinkable. Most likely, you are already familiar with some of our industrious helpers. This year, three angels join the fold, each with their own special skill: The first tapping the blades of a windmill into place with a tiny hammer, the second painting a yellow star with meticulous brush strokes, while the third carefully positions bright red candles into a Christmas pyramid balanced atop a gaily wrapped present. Now Christmas can come! These three creations increase the number of sitting Marguerite Angels to 24. Imaginatively arranged, they will always have new and unique stories to tell.
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M arguer i t e a n ge l ,
M arguer i t e a n ge l ,
sitting, with windmill
s i t t i n g , w i t h s tar
M arguer i t e a n ge l , s i t t i n g , w i t h pyram i d
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a n d pa i n t brus h
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2 0 1 2 COLL E CTION A DDITION S
A n ge l w i t h c ymba l s ,
A n ge l w i t h be l l a n d c a n d l e ,
suspe n d e d
o n c o me t
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| Pa r t 2
Of celestial splendor and musical vir tuosos F r o m h eav e n ab o v e …
they float down to us, the graceful suspended angels from the Grünhainichen workshops of Wendt & Kühn. Always bringing joyful tidings with them, one of which we’d now like to share: Announcing the Grünhainichen suspended angel with cymbals – one of our grand additions this year! From lofty heights, this angel now adds a jubilant rhythm to our angel orchestra. And then there’s the Christmas tree angel riding a comet tail with tiny bell and candle made from white lacquered wood. The little bell heralds the arrival of the joyful celestial messengers so anxious to join their airborne Wendt & Kühn siblings – a flock of suspended angels
which has grown into a very grand assemblage indeed – numerous enough to decorate an entire Christmas tree! The Grünhainichen Angels® are available as suspended angels as well as Christmas tree angels on comet tails, within stars and crescent moons. Deck your Christmas tree or wreath in the radiance of the Grünhainichen Angels® – and watch the sparkle reflected in all the eyes around you.
Heav e n ly j oy
There’s more joy in giving than receiving, as clearly seen in the face of the angel proudly laden with gifts. Juggling two ornate packages, the angel tops it all off with a flower pot filled with tiny blossoms. The Angel with Gifts now joins our popular Gingerbread Angel who has been winning hearts since autumn 2011. In so doing, Wendt & Kühn establishes another series of Grünhainichen Angels® to complement our world-famous Angel Musicians. Some now also hold lovingly crafted accessories in their hands. Wonderful news for enthusiasts and collectors who never stop searching for high-quality gift and decorating ideas throughout the year.
G o l d E d i t i o n N o– 5
L i m i t e d G o l d E d i t i o n N o– 5
S tar Cat c h er ,
S tar Cat c h er , a n ge l w i t h
a n ge l w i t h g o l d -
g o l d - p l at e d s tars a n d
p l at e d s tars
g o l d - p l at e d me ta l base i n
Please note: While our products are available for purchase at your local specialist retailer or at the Wendt & Kühn outlets in Grünhainichen and Seiffen, we cannot accept individual mail orders.
a sp l i n t er b o x
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W i s h up o n a g o l d e n s tar
We pull the stars from the sky for those we hold dear, we reach for the stars to better ourselves and are in awe of celebrities we call “stars”. As our Gold Edition No– 5, the Star Catcher shines as our very own star, grasping four interlocking shimmering golden stars – as if shooting stars grabbed straight from the heavens. Each star will grant us a wish – big or small, all that matters is that is comes from the heart.
In this sense the Star Catcher embodies the spirit of Grete Wendt, the creator of these unique Grünhainichen Angels®. She always wanted her creations to spread joy and make wishes come true. The Star Catcher’s gleaming 24-karat gold-plated celestial bodies now spread even more sparkle. As the very latest in Wendt & Kühn’s prized gold edition series.
c l ass i c a l h arm o n i es
The grand orchestra of Grünhainichen Angels® is also growing in size, their richly detailed instruments poised to add some blissful new sounds. Recent additions are the sitting angel with tambourine, the angel with xylophone and the angel with accordion on a metal clip. The latter offers a world of possibilities: clipped to the Christmas tree or keeping a perfect fold to an elegant cloth napkin on a table stylishly decked out for the season.
A n ge l w i t h g i f t s
A n ge l w i t h h ea d l ess
A n ge l w i t h a c c o r d i o n ,
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A n ge l w i t h xy l o p h o n e
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R i c h ly pa i n t e d A n ge l ,
R i c h ly pa i n t e d A n ge l ,
l arge , w i t h c a n d l e
l arge , w i t h c a n d l e
h o l d er , o ra n ge
h o l d er , gree n
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2 0 1 2 COLL E CTION A DDITION S
| Pa r t 3
Of glorious or naments and grand heavenly messengers G l o r i o us o r n ame n t s
The figures presented on this double-page spread are not available in the USA.
Decked with golden ornamentation, the exquisitely painted angels are now being joined by further friends: In addition to the large angels in blue or red dresses, two further beauties now enhance the collection. Their green and orange dresses are imaginatively reminiscent of traditional Baltic folk art from the homeland of Olly Wendt, her artistic signature leaving its distinctive mark in the pattern. These elaborate angels, both 17 centi meters (6.7 inches) tall, provide a dramatic
decorative effect, whether standing alone as a gracious solitary figure or together as a matched pair. And to ensure a perfect pairing, each of the color variants is available with the head turned slightly to the left or the right. Please note: We strongly advise against placing lit candles in the bowls. They are not designed for this purpose and are instead solely for decoration. After all, even without candles, these angels are definitely bathed in their own vivid light.
A n ge l w i t h ma n d o l i n , i n t h e m o o n , l arge
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A n ge l w i t h ma n d o l i n , i n a s tar , l arge A n ge l w i t h ma n d o l i n , o n ta i l o f a c o me t, l arge
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The Grünhainichen Angels® have been inspiring collectors and enthusiasts the world over since 1923, predominantly known as tiny and endearing celestial ambassadors adding a touch of grace and sparkle to Angel Mountains and Christmas trees.
Grünhainichen Angels®. For a number of years, we have also been producing large-scale Grünhainichen Angels®. And what stately figures they are! Each of our “big” angels is roughly 30 centimeters (12 inches) tall – a divine decoration for seasonal windows or as a special eye catcher on a sideboard or table.
Particularly popular are the angel musicians floating down on various heavenly bodies just in time for holiday celebrations. Sitting in the moon, on a star or the tail of a comet, they are unmistakable with their green wings and eleven white dots, the hallmark of all Wendt & Kühn
All these angels come with all you need to properly hang or display them. To set up your heavenly body for display, simply place it into the bright yellow star in the gracefully designed stand or attach it to the extra-strong cord so it can securely hang aloft. Even as the
G reat e n t h us i asm
cords blend unobtrusively into the background, they provide strong support. Meanwhile there’s a total of 18 different large musical Grünhainichen Angels®: a grand selection of three heavenly bodies – moon, star or comet – and six instruments. To date, melodies have poured forth from the angels with violins, harps, trumpets, French horns and ceremonial trumpets. Now the angel with mandolin joins the fold. A magni ficent large-scaled version of the famous Grünhainichen Angels®, their stature adapted with much love and care to the incomparable style of their smaller siblings.
T h e sk i l l e d brus h s t r o kes of Ilona Linke, large figure painting specialist, create the beautiful embellishments on our wall clocks.
c o v er s t o ry
MEASURES O F TI M E
C l o c k ma n ufa c t ur i n g requires highly precise craftsmanship and a fine eye for detail – today just as it did 80 years ago. Because even if time never stands still, there are some things which never change.
T h e r i c h var i e t y o f G re t e W e n d t ’ s clock designs is staggering – this catalogue excerpt from 1937 shows but three of her many ideas, their cheery faces keeping time for us through the decades.
“ TI M E TH AT W E TA K E F O R O U R S E LV E S I S TI M E TH AT G IV E S U S S O M E THIN G IN R E T U R N .” We take time – time for products which although not allowing us to stop time, allow us to enjoy it with all our senses. So that every moment becomes something special. Time for the Wendt & Kühn wall clocks.
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hese are the good old times we will wish ourselves back to in ten years,” the revered actor Peter Ustinov once so astutely observed – thereby eloquently expressing a most human desire: gazing back at the past while enjoying the present. Wendt & Kühn figures have been paying tribute to this ever-recurring desire in their own special way ever since the workshops were founded in 1915. The timeless beauty of Grete Wendt’s designs and models has meanwhile matured into design classics, losing none of their expressiveness and ingenuity as we forge into the 21st century. Perhaps that’s what novelist Max Frisch meant when he said, “Time does not change us. It just unfolds us.” Just as Grete Wendt’s figurines grow but never age. A creative force spreading the best gift ever created by hand: pure joy. D E LI G HT IN TH E DI S TINCTIV E N E S S
Grete Wendt loved her work. She loved the creativity which allowed her to give expression to her ideas. She loved the variety of figures she brought to life through the decades and she loved the idea
E r n s t F ers t l
that her designs could magically bring smiles to the faces of strangers. “It always gives me such great pleasure to create something else,” she was fond of saying. And the clocks rejoining our collection in 2012 are indeed something else. With a dark blue arch studded with twinkling stars or a sunny yellow arch ringed by bright springtime flowers – these two models selected for the revival of our clock collection this year illustrate the variety of designs Grete Wendt originated to give expression to her own concept of the eternal topic of time. Grete Wendt originally sketched these clocks for children’s rooms. Old catalogs and order forms listed them as “nursery clocks” – and of course there’s still nothing preventing such placement of these cheery timepieces today. But they also exude the innocence of childhood in today’s adult world as well. As if they make time stand still for just a little while, taking us back to when we were children. Carefree, lighthearted, jubilant.
“A s we h av e see n , you are extremely proficient in producing nursery clocks,” praises this letter from a London trading firm dated February 3, 1937. And this still holds true today – completely in keeping with the timelessness of the Wendt & Kühn Grünhainichen workshops.
P R E CIO U S M O M E NT S TO PA U S E
The longing for the harmony, graciousness and safety of childhood – a major theme running through all of Grete Wendt’s creative output – is also echoed in these clocks. As is her desire to spread pleasure and joy with her childlike figures. Even while still studying at the Royal Saxon Academy of Art in Dresden, she was lending her creative talents to Karl Schmidt, the founder of the world-famous Workshops for Artistic Craftsmanship in DresdenHellerau. Karl Schmidt had in mind to establish his own toy department uniting form and functionality in a playful and perfectly crafted form. It was these years that planted the seed in Grete’s mind to capture the world of childhood in her own expressions of form for all time – a longing that became the force driving her future creative work. Even these classic clocks, which were originally developed between 1931 and 1935 in a great number of models, blend childlike innocence and timeless elegance into one harmonious whole to bridge the years. Incidentally, one of these very clocks hung prominently in Grete Wendt’s studio for decades – testament to just how much she loved her colorful clocks. The classic designs harken to a simpler time and a spirit of harmony, melting away the fast pace of our
modern lives while the soft ticking still provides a gentle reminder of the here and now. Consistency and change are the driving forces setting the clockwork of our society in motion. A glance at the blond curls of the little girl in her pastel blue dress, framed by small flowers and twittering birds, or the dainty suspended angel keeping watch over the slumbering village from the stars above makes the passage of the time relative. Everyday bustle and stress loses its impact and each glance at the clock becomes a precious moment of joy. “We take many years before we understand how precious moments can be,” said essayist Ernst Ferstl. These clocks share untold preciousness by giving us reason to pause, reminisce and fully enjoy the moment. P E R F E CT TI M IN G
It’s a measure of our time: People today no longer think about having to wind up their clocks every day. That’s why our quality German-made quartz movements guarantee longevity and highest precision, allowing us to unite our standard of designs true to their originals with a production process tailored to a customer’s exact wishes. For those who appreciate living in the modern world and at the same time cherish traditional values. We trust our clocks to keep happy times for you!
T h e l arge g i r l (21 cm, 8.3 in.) proudly carries an elaborately designed book which can bear the handpainted name of your recipient or a personalized dedication, turning her into your own completely personalized figure – for example as an unforgettable school graduation present.
W i t h t h e s t o rk r i d er bear i n g a swa d d l e d i n fa n t – which incidentally features a receiving blanket in the traditional newborn colors of either pastel pink or baby blue (12,5 cm, 4.9 in.) – a name or a date can be added on the green base.
Blue lettering, maximum 2 lines of up to 12 characters each above the flowers, 1 line of up to 12 characters below the flowers
White lettering, maximum 28 characters
Whether for the birth of a child, a baptism, a birthday or a graduation – figures from the Wendt & Kühn workshops make an utterly special gift of timeless beauty and enduring value like no other. And now our new personalizing service allows you to turn any wall clock and some other selected figures into a genuine individual treasure.
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xclusive. Unique. Personal. With a name and a personal message, gifts instantly become valued, one-of-a-kind treasures. In response to overwhelming customer requests, our workshops now offer a special personalizing service on selected articles. Stork riders with swaddled infants, the large girl with book and the Wendt & Kühn wall clocks can now all be embellished with a message in Latin alphabet letters at specific places for an extra charge. Names are subject to a maximum number of characters and expertly painted on by hand. The color and maximum number of characters are fixed so that also our personalized articles will remain true to Grete Wendt’s formative visions.
How do let us know the exact personalization you want? Easy: through your trusted retailer. Simply place your order with your retailer – which product, what name and what message – and they will forward your wishes to us directly. Please allow a period of approximately three weeks for the personal handcrafting of your unique item plus the transit time between our workshops in Germany and your local retailer. This will ensure enough time so that your personal gift will become a genuine showpiece of timeless beauty and distinctive value – a gift that truly keeps on giving through the years.
TH E WA LL CLOC K S (14 cm, 5.5 in.) can be individualized with a name and a brief personal message on the front arch and/or on the back.
Front lettering on blue clock: yellow Front lettering on yellow clock: blue Lettering on back: blue maximum 16 characters on the front side, maximum 3 lines with up to 14 characters each on the back
M as t er of
ornamentation
In our portrait series of historical personalities from our nearly 100-year company history, we would now like to introduce a designer who, together with her school friend Margarete Wendt, originally founded the workshops back in 1915 and whose name has been part of ours from the very start: Margarete Kühn.
F OL K LO R IC O R N A M E NTATION
Lathe-turned boxes, painted chests and cases dictated our initial range of products. The artistic painting of splinter boxes has a long tradition in the Erzgebirge region. Margarete Kühn continued this heritage with her imaginative designs while energizing it with new inspirations. In the rural tradition of decorative folk art, she created highly detailed ornamental art to adorn boxes crafted from wafer-thin wood shavings. Her work often drew on a special painting technique of adding paste to the paint to lend finished paintings a sculptured effect.
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resden, at the beginning of the 20th century. Amidst Baroqueera buildings and hackney carriages, two young women have a fateful encounter. Born in Leipzig in 1888, Margarete Kühn studied at Dresden’s Royal Saxon Academy of Art from 1907 to 1910. One fellow student was Margarete Wendt, a student boarder in the home of Grete Kühn’s father, head of the municipal planning and building control office. The two girls had much more in common than just their first names. They came together in their love for beautiful objects, the study of design under Professor Junge, and a desire to leave their mark professionally. Initial artistic successes fueled the entrepreneurial spirit of these talented artists. And to such an extent that in 1915 they embarked on a bold adventure, one which would completely change the course of their lives: They joined forces by opening the “M. Wendt & M. Kühn” partnership, soon thereafter changing the name to “Wendt & Kühn OHG” on June 2, 1919. The founding of the company, which today seems an altogether logical and reasonable step, was at that time, right in the middle of the first world war, a huge gamble – especially for two young single women. But with the support of their families, the courageous partners soon saw their breakthrough – the young company prospered and grew. The initial collection encompassed candle-bearing angels, painted chests, wood-turned boxes and candleholders. While Grete Wendt dedicated herself almost exclusively to designing figures, Grete Kühn’s strength proved to be the elaborate painting of chests and boxes. With inimitable brush strokes and a fertile imagination, she turned wooden containers into aesthetic works of art of lasting value. Her motifs drew on the traditional and yet were pioneering at the same time. Grete Kühn availed herself of folkloric symbolism in the peasant art style, beautifully balancing these influences with her book knowledge of design. In the company’s early years, this style was very much in demand and orders flooded into the young firm, even overshadowing their figure production.
And then on April 1, 1920, Grete Kühn left the company. This step was based on a long-standing agreement between the two young women: Should one of them marry, she would part ways with the company. And love obviously won out for Grete Kühn. After the wedding, she started a family with architect Arnold Lohrisch while still devoting herself professionally to artistic design. The “marriage clause” seems somewhat unusual from today’s point of view. But at that time it actually made a lot of sense. It was one way that the two company founders could ensure the company never fell into the hands of outsiders. A decision which was of fundamental import ance for the consistent continuation of the unique style and integrity that has always been Wendt & Kühn. The Kühn name remained enshrined in the company name as it was already well established in the market. Grete Lohrisch-Kühn had a strong connection to the company her entire life. Together with her three children, she made frequent visits to Grünhainichen and also kept up a lively correspondence with Grete Wendt, attentively following the company’s development with advice and empathy. In her further vocational career, Grete Lohrisch-Kühn remained true to her typical painting style. In 1920, she opened a “workshop for finely painted wooden articles and toys” in Chemnitz. Her assortment of goods ranged from doll cradles and cribs to practical items such as sewing boxes, napkin rings and egg cups. Although her workshop was completely destroyed during the World War II bombings, she wagered a new entrepreneurial start after 1945 in Augustusburg near Grünhainichen. Her new art workshop produced items such as smokers (incense holders), splinter boxes, wooden Easter eggs and intricately painted angels. After the death of her husband and with the vagaries of age creeping up on her, Grete Kühn left the company and moved in with her daughter in Laubach outside of Gießen, where she died in 1977 at the age of 88. Yet her name and her inspiration will live on eternally – in the Wendt & Kühn name now known around the world.
Fam i ly t i es :
Margarete Wendt (far left) and Margarete Kühn (far right) with Grete Wendt’s parents, circa 1918. The two friends from school maintained a life-long friendship.
c o n t i n u i n g t ra d i t i o n
| Pa r t 2
L o v e s t r i kes aga i n
“Green House”
in the
W h e n K i m i e Yo s h i ba S c h u l z ( 4 0 ) f i rs t c ame t o G erma n y i n 2 0 0 6 , s h e d i d n ’ t h av e t h e s l i g h t es t i n k l i n g t h at t h e f i gures fr o m W e n d t & K ü h n w o u l d q u i c k ly s t ea l h er h ear t a n d e n d up k i n d l i n g a n i n t e n se pass i o n f o r c o l l e c t i n g i n h er .
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collection of small Marguerite Angels is on display in the residence of the Schulz family. Each four centimeters (1.5 inches) tall. How these figurines ended up in the huge Japanese metropolis so far from their Erzgebirge homeland is a question of passion and love. The love for her German husband, whom she lives with in Tokyo, built a bridge to the second love of her life: the Marguerite Angels from Wendt & Kühn. Her husband is to blame to a certain extent for her consuming collector’s passion. After all, he was the one who wanted to show her his hometown of Recklinghausen on a vacation to Germany to see in 2006. It was in his parent’s home that this touching, unbelievable story begins.
The Marguerite Angels as well as the Blossom Kinder are now prominent features in her home back in Tokyo. They are the intense pride and joy of this gracious Japanese woman. Her collection has meanwhile grown by leaps and bounds. Because every time she returns to Germany for a visit, once or twice a year, Kimie Yoshiba Schulz seeks out selected retailers wherever she is to see the new figures from Wendt & Kühn. The couple’s parents and friends also benefit from her brand-conscious non-stop shopping indulgence as she spreads her unbridled enthusiasm. “I buy the angels because I collect them but I also love giving them as presents. The Japanese have this thing for little gifts they give each other on special holidays. I can spread a huge amount of joy with these little figurines.”
There, on the sideboard, stood a small figurine, which immediately captivated Kimie. “What is that?” she asked her mother-in-law. “A Blossom Child from the town of Seiffen in the Erzgebirge,” she replied. The inquisitive young lady wanted to know a lot more and went online in search of information. And even talked her husband into taking her to the home of the Blossom Kinder while still on this same vacation so she could experience the magic in person. No sooner said than done.
An economist by trade, Kimie has since learned the entire company history of Wendt & Kühn, has already visited the company’s Grünhainichen headquarters, retail shop and Sample Room, and keeps abreast of the latest news online and from the English version of the eleven dot post. And she counts down the days until her annual New Year’s vacation to Germany, dreaming of her next visit to the “Green House,” as she still playfully refers to the World of Figures in Seiffen. “There’s nothing I’d rather do than look at all those angels there with the prettiest faces in the world.”
“I remember everything like it was yesterday. We parked in the main parking lot, visited the Toy Museum and the town church, but I didn’t see any signs of the Blossom Kinder like my mother-in-law had. But then we came upon a green house. It was so completely different from the other houses. Not just due to its vivid color but also because it didn’t have any candle arches in the windows like all the other buildings. That got my attention. Curious, we opened the door and that’s when it hit me.” Kimie fell head over heels. One Blossom Child more beautiful than the next and they were all calling out to her: a Blossom Child with a cornflower, one with a baby carriage, several with bunnies. Her first sight of these Marguerite Angels reflected in the pure delight shining in her slender face and in the sparkling of her impish brown eyes. “I’d never seen anything so adorable in all my life as those tiny figurines,” she gushed. “It was definitely love at first sight.”
“I proudly show off my collection to any one who comes to visit.” Though she is one treasure less since the devast ating 2011 Tokyo earthquake, the blue “Evening Song” music box which she purchased at the World of Figures in Seiffen in 2009. Kimie grows a little wistful as she tells the sad story: “Before we got married and moved in together, my collection was at my parent’s house. The music box was kept on the piano by the wall. But the quake was so violent, it moved the piano. The music box fell to the ground and broke into lots of pieces. It was so damaged that we had to throw it away. Unfortunately, I didn’t know about the repair service Wendt & Kühn offers back then.” But ever the optimist, and with a knowing glance at her husband, she adds, “Our next visit to the ‘Green House’ is already planned.”
W h e n K i m i e fr o m T o kyo visited Wendt & Kühn’s World of Figures in Seiffen, she was swept off her feet.
You are
S
my s tar !
tars. Our faithful companions in the nocturnal sky, twinkling and shining, reassuring and true. Inspiring our dreams and igniting our imagination. The epitome of eternity, guardians of destiny, gems of the night. Stars guide our path and showed the old sailors their way home. Some of us are born under a lucky star, others will be rising stars if it is so fated by the stars. Movie stars, TV stars, rock stars – a star is someone we look up to, we admire, we adore. Marilyn Monroe once said she was an “earthbound star”, and “all she demanded was her right to twinkle.” And twinkle she did!
Little twinklers, shining stars, bright and glistening gifts from the heavens above – the lovely Star Catcher angels of our Gold Edition No– 5 have spread their wings to become the stars of your heart. A genuine top-star creation, they appear as celestial messengers for all who value the precious and cherish the exclusive. True shooting stars who will guide the way to our dreams. “There is room in the heart for all the affections, as there is room in heaven for all the stars”, wrote French author Victor Hugo. What brighter way is there to show your affection and let your love shine than with a tiny little angel holding a band of stars plated in genuine gold? Make a wish upon a star and have a twinkling angel send the message to your loved ones: You are my star!
FROM OUR READERS
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O P E N HO U S E D AY S
By t h e n umbers
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top by, look in and marvel – the popular Wendt & Kühn Open House Days in Grünhainichen and Seiffen signify an exciting open invitation to all collectors and enthusiasts of our products. Wendt & Kühn Grünhainichen workshops, Germany All dates: 10am to 5pm 01 Dec – 02 Dec 2012 09 May – 12 May 2013 30 Nov – 01 Dec 2013 Wendt & Kühn World of Figures, Seiffen, Germany All dates: 10am to 5pm 30 Mar – 31 Mar 2013 19 Oct – 20 Oct 2013
I M P R INT eleven dot post · 6 t h E d i t i o n G r ü n h a i n i c h e n , Ge r m a n y, O c t o b e r 2 0 1 2 Publisher: Wendt & Kühn KG Chemnitzer Straße 40, 09579 Grünhainichen, Germany
t takes 82 processing steps before the Blossom Boy with Daffodil can get his first look at the world: 31 in the turning department, 22 in the gluing department, 8 in the dipping department, 17 in the painting department and 4 in the packing department. Amazing just how many industrious hands contribute! We took a closer look around the gluing department in order to be able to report to you the many steps taken by the nimble fingers of our expert gluers to turn so many varied individual pieces into an agile Blossom Boy: first the trouser legs are glued together and sanded, then the arms glued, the trousers joined to the torso and the whole thing affixed to the base, incisions for the arms made on the torso and then the arms glued on, the cap piece joined to the head, then the head to the body, and voilà: Finished! The final step is gluing on the lad’s satchel. Meanwhile, gluing the daffodil together takes a total of 8 process steps – and then it’s finally off to the meadow!
Telephone: +49 37 294/86 286, Telefax: +49 37 294/86 129 www.wendt-kuehn.com Chief Editors: Claudia Baer, Thomas Rost, Wendt & Kühn Editor: Lena Tetzner, Wendt & Kühn Design: schech.net | Strategie. Kommunikation. Design. Content: Sylva-Michèle Sternkopf, Ines Nebelung (19) Translation: Sternkopf Communications Photography: S+M Rümmler (2, 4-5, 16, 23), Wolfgang Schmidt (12), René Pech (21) Printing: Gutermuth, Grünhainichen
You can watch a lovely computer animation entitled “How the Blossom Kinder Come to Life” on our website (under the “Showroom” tab) to see how so many tiny individual pieces of wood fall into place as if by magic to create our Blossom Kinder. www.wendt-kuehn.com
s former Dresdeners, now almost 60 years in the United States, we would like to take a moment today to thank you for always bringing back such wonderful memories of our old homeland and the beautiful Erzgebirge Christmases of our youth. During the advent season and throughout the holidays, we always take such great pleasure in our flock of Wendt & Kühn angels, now counting almost eighty. Over the rest of the year, we always have your Blossom Kinder on parade. Our parents or aunts most likely first bought your figures at the Dresden Trust for Historic Preservation. This year, my wife got her first music box with Santa Claus from you. C. S. BAEHRECKE
| Pa x t o n , M A , U S A
W
hen I was 9 years old, I took piano lessons from a well-known music teacher at the time in Erfurt. She had the most beautiful orchestra of elevendot angel musicians on top of her piano. I loved them with all my young heart and I probably looked at those angels far more often than I ever looked at my sheet music. I never once touched even one angel, they were beyond reach. Life has since taught me that something out of reach is not necessarily out of reach forever. Today I have an illuminated Angel Mountain on top of my own piano, also with an orchestra, which my dear husband loves to add to on holidays for me. For that, I thank him and above all thank you for your glorious company. C . - A . U LL R ICH
| E r f u r t , Ge r m a n y
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ow me and my mother have spent one great hour admiring your wonderful website of the Grünhainichen Angels. We are big fans in Sweden and me and my sister have one orchestra each. Our mother has given us at least one angel every year. They are so beautiful. A. HÖGBERG
| He l s i n g b o r g , S c h w e d e n
R av e n w i t h g l asses
R av e n w i t h g l asses
a n d b o o k , sma l l
a n d b o o k , l arge
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S t o rk me d i um ,
Ta l l s t o rk
S t o rk me d i um ,
S t o rk s ta n d i n g
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R av e n w i t h
h ea d d o w n
w i t h a n ge l
h ea d up
o n o n e l eg
a n d umbre l l a
g l asses ,
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L i t t l e m o use , ru n n i n g L i t t l e m o use , s i t t i n g
M us i c b o x
L E AVIN G TH E COLL E CTION AT Y E A R ’ S E ND
Farewell
G r o up o f a n ge l s
| 2012
ar o u n d a c ra d l e
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The figures shown on this page are about to take their leave for some time to come. The last ones we are producing can only be purchased until the end of 2012. Thereafter, they will be welcomed into our historic Grand Sample Cabinet and remain there for at least five years.
Brickie with
C o n s t ru c t i o n
C o n s t ru c t i o n
B r i c k c arr i er
Brickie
Carpe n t er
rubb i n g b o ar d
w o rker w i t h h o e
w o rker w i t h
w i t h pa n i er
w i t h br i c k
w i t h h a c ksaw
l a d d er
a n d t r o we l
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w h ee l barr o w
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a n d t r o we l
and plane
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P a i n t er w i t h
www.we n d t- kue h n . CO M