Wendt & Kühn - eleven dot post 2016

YO U R M AG A Z I N E F R O M T H E W E N D T & K Ü H N WO R K S H O P S

1 0 TH E D I T I O N

2016

D E A R F R I E N D S O F T H E C O M PA N Y,

SELECTED CONTENT

4 For those special treasures Decorating tip

5 Angels on tour NY NOW ® fair and retailer tour

N for Newsletter Grünhainichen Lexicon

6 Bearers of joy for every season 2016 collection additions

12 How the Angel Got His Eleven Dots An Interview

14 The colorful world of Wendt & Kühn Cover story

17 Open house days 2016/2017 Special days

18 Transporting figurines à la Wendt & Kühn Back then as well as today

20 Grünhainichen Angels®: Ambassadors of harmony and poetry in troubled times Living tradition

21 From our readers Personal messages

22 Luck within our reach Four-leaf clover symbolism

Farewell Leaving the collection at year’s end

How time flies. It is already a year since we celebrated the 100th anniversary of our family-run company. Since then we have truly felt the wind beneath our wings as the international demand for our figurines and music boxes, curiosities and collector’s items has carried on growing. In this way you, the admirers and collectors of our selection, have demonstrated very clearly how much you appreciate the way in which we continue to incorporate into each and every design decades of experience and a keen understanding of art in the work we do here every day. Combining knowledge and expert craftsmanship is also important to the preservation of our color palette, and the cover story of this 10th edition of the eleven dot post is dedicated to this very topic.

The book “How the Angel Got His Eleven Dots” was published in English for the first time this year. Beautifully illustrated, it tells the story of the tests the small shawm player must pass before he is allowed to play in the world-famous orchestra of ­Grünhainichen Angels®. On pages 12 and 13 of this magazine we allow you to peek inside the book and we were curious ourselves to discover the thoughts that went through the heads of the author and the illustrator.

I would also like to draw your attention to the story of one of our collectors, this time from France. We received correspondence from a lady that intrigued us. This was before the terrible events in Paris and Nice that have changed our world. They make the thoughts expressed in the interview with our charming French correspondent, Madame Roblin, all the more topical. Over and over again it is the poetic charm expressed in our figurines that gives people courage and confidence, even in troubled times. We see this as a great blessing. And it gives to our more than 190 craftsmen and women an added sense of duty and incentive to preserve the skill we enjoy of bringing pleasure to others through our work.

Looking to the future, Christmas is fast approaching. In many countries of the world this is the most beautiful time of year and the one in which Wendt & Kühn figurines really come into their own. In this magazine you will find inspirational ideas for how to use them as decorations and suggestions for that perfect gift, to be given straight from the heart.

For now, I hope you will enjoy reading this eleven dot post.

Claudia Baer, née Wendt

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D E C O R AT I N G T I P

For those special Our hand-painted splinter boxes provide a home for ­precious keepsakes. Mementos we pick up and look at from time to time that conjure up memories. Some happy, some sad, but always quite personal to us. And for all those who don’t know what treasures are hidden inside, the box is just simply an exceptional decorative piece.

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treasures

WENDT & KÜHN ANGELS ON TOUR

ON THE ROAD IN THE USA

I

n August this year, two members of the team at Wendt & Kühn set off to visit the largest export market of the Grünhainichen workshops – the United States of America.

The purpose of this trip was to attend the fair “NY NOW ®, The Market for Home, Lifestyle + Gift” held in New York from 21 to 24 August 2016, where our traditional family-run company had a stand as part of the German pavilion. This successful trade fair marked the start of a two-week tour of selected shops that stock Wendt & Kühn figurines. Their journey took them from the East Coast to the West, into the cities of New York and San Francisco, and also their environs. This was a completely new way of supporting our retailers in this important market, one we have had success with in Germany in the past few years.

A special destination was the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. Walt Disney, founder of the famous studios, was a big fan of Wendt & Kühn figurines. Letters from his daughter Diane Disney Miller record that he loved miniatures and frequently brought them back with him from his travels. Including, from far away Germany, the delicate wooden figurines from Wendt & Kühn.

At the personal request of his daughter, our figurines have been on sale in the museum shop in the City by the Bay since 2010. We see this as a massive compliment.

GRÜNHAINICHEN LEXICON

N FOR NEWSLETTER

N

othing beats our eleven dot post, even if we say this a bit tongue in cheek. But now, for all those who don’t want to miss out on the latest news from Wendt & Kühn between issues of the magazine we have the perfect answer: the Wendt & Kühn newsletter which is now available in English. The German version goes to more than 8,000 inboxes all over the world.

Several times a year our e-newsletter keeps readers up to date with interesting facts from the Grünhainichen workshops, new additions to the collection and inspirational ideas for gifts for those special occasions. To subscribe visit www.wendt-kuehn.de/en/service/newsletter/

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COLLECTION ADDITIONS

Bearers of joy

for every season It is busy all year round behind the doors of the workshops in Grünhainichen.

Whether it is spring or fall, Easter or Christmas, here are spring-fresh children, animal companions and a shining host of heavenly messengers to give you pleasure.

There is also an important visitor: Santa Claus himself accompanied by his busy little helper honors us with his presence. Then there are all the great ideas for gifts. But see for yourself.

SPRING CHILD

As a harbinger of spring, the Girl with Winter Aconite announces nature’s ­re-awakening. From the end of ­January, when in a mild winter the carpet of snow begins to melt, the aconites pop their heads up above the ground, form­ ing a sea of yellow blooms. Use our cheerful little maid as inspiration for your fresh springtime arrangements.

B A BY C H I C K ,

B A BY C H I C K ,

B OY W I T H E G G O N P O L E

SMALL

LARGE

5240/2

5256/7

5256/3G

S U N N Y C H AT T E R

C H E E RY E A S T E R M E S S E N G E R

In high spirits, these small ducklings tumble from one adventure to the next.

Their heads can be moved so they spend their time looking either cheekily ahead or quizzically behind them! The perfect gift for all small chicks stepping out in life with big strides – to their first day in Kindergarten for instance, or when they start school for the first time.

Where would Easter be without the laughter of children? Isn’t it wonderful when the little ones, full of eager anticipation, rush into the garden to search for the Easter nests filled to the brim that the hard-working Easter bunny has hidden for them among the grass and bushes?

Our latest Easter messenger also embodies this spontaneous merriment as he cheerily carries a colorfully decorated Easter egg on his shoulder. Together with the other five Easter children in the series he can be used to create imaginative scenes.

Please note: While our products are available for purchase at your local specialist retailer or at the Wendt & Kühn outlets in Grünhainichen and Seiffen, Germany, we cannot accept individual mail orders.

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GIRL WITH WINTER ACONITE

5248/22

ANGEL WITH TWO-PIECE PERCUSSION,

MARGUERITE ANGEL,

MARGUERITE ANGEL,

MARGUERITE ANGEL,

SITTING

SITTING, WITH

SITTING, WITH

SITTING, WITH

650/44a

SPLINTER BOX

LACEMAKING PILLOW

BUILDING BLOCKS

634/70/34

634/70/35

634/70/36

DRUM ROLL

NEW TRIO

Two sticks, cymbals, bass drum and drum: the winged drummer knows just how to get the audience in the mood. Bravely he wields his drumsticks and beats time for his fellow musicians. From now on he will be accompanying them in the large angel orchestra. With his infallible sense of rhythm and heavenly flair, he also gets smaller ensembles swinging.

Santa’s hardworking little helpers, the Marguerite Angels, have their hands full again this year. Great dexterity is required for the ancient art of lace making and for painting the richly decorated red splinter boxes that have been reissued to mark the 100th anniversary of the Grünhainichen workshops. The small angel with colorful building blocks brings back memories of carefree days of childhood and is also a pretty gift for all builders, large and small.

ANGEL, SMALL, WITH BIRD

650/k/V

WITH CHIRPING COMPANION

The smaller siblings of the Grünhainichen Angels® are just four centimeters high.

But they are in no way inferior to their larger relatives – they radiate just as much joy when they look at you. Like this angel who appears to be whispering something to its small chirping companion. Together they will give delight to a loved one on their birthday – with a complimentary serenade.

D E L I C AT E G R E E N D I S P L AY S TA G E S F L O W E R M E A D O W, 3 -T I E R E D , S M A L L

F L O W E R M E A D O W, 5 -T I E R E D

550/BL

550/BL5

This year we are adding two further variations to the three-tiered Flower Meadow: one with five tiers and a smaller version of the three-tiered one, both in light green.

The small flowers dotted here and there add color and joy. The Flower Meadows provide more options for displaying our Blossom Kinder and their friends on a stage worthy of them.

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COLLECTION ADDITIONS

FAT H E R M O O N

590/10

MOTHER SUN

S TA R C H I L D O N

S TA R C H I L D

S TA R C H I L D ,

590/11

ONE LEG

WITH CANDLES

LARGE

SMALL

590/12

590/13

590/14

590/15

H E AV E N S E N T

H E AV E N LY M U S I C

How the Moon Family came into being is described in a poem that appeared in August 1933 in “Hans Kunterbunt”, a supplement in the “Leipziger Neueste Nachrichten” newspaper. Tired of living in the sky, the family wanted to experience other places. So they asked the toymaker to help them. “Let him carve us quickly out of good wood; we will then travel the world as wooden samples; and after that we will decide whether we like it better here or there!” They liked it here in Germany, and they have also become sought-after collectibles all over the world.

An excellent reason to have brought them back into the collection in May – with all the original cast, just as Olly Wendt designed them in 1925.

Nine little sheep revolve slowly around a good-natured Father Moon as he watches over them dressed as a shepherd in blue robes. The question posed by the music box’s melody, “Who has the most beautiful sheep?”, finds an easy answer in this

A M U S I C A L TA S T E R :

to hear a preview of the melody on our website, simply visit www.wendt-kuehn.com.

i­maginative composition. The sound of the 36-note Swiss musical movement calms you down, rocks your children to sleep and affords moments of pleasant relaxation. The body of the music box that first appeared in the 1930 catalogue was originally decorated with a landscape. Later, as in the current edition too, it was painted with golden stars on a blue background. At the request of many Wendt & Kühn fans, the music box returned to the collection in May, accompanied by the “Moon Family” group of figurines.

M U S I C B O X “ FAT H E R M O O N WITH ANGELS” WITH 36-NOTE MUSICAL MOVEMENT

Melody: „Who has the most beautiful little sheep?“ (traditional German lullaby) 5336/43A

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S TA R C H I L D ,

FESTIVE MESSENGER

A N G E L W I T H W R E AT H

650/155

The musicians of the Grünhainichen ­angel orchestra are well known all over the world. And these angels with the eleven white dots capture hearts away from the big stage, too. They work their magic in wide-ranging roles and are faithful companions the whole year round. Just like this angel carrying a wreath decorated with white candles and delicate flowers.

Since May 2016 it has had the role of spreading joy in your home, or bringing pleasure to a loved one as a gift. For a birthday or any other special occasion.

A PREMIERE

This majestic figurine, designed in 1964, was the crowning glory of Grete Wendt’s career. An exceptional one that proved to be the final creation from this great designer. Up to now it has existed only as a sample and in the shape of numerous drawings that have been preserved in our archives. But now, more than 50 years later, it is finding its way to all those for whom Grete Wendt designed it in the first place.

NOW A QUARTET

The puristic “White Timbre” E ­ dition from the traditional workshops of Wendt & Kühn is a tribute to the founder of the company Grete Wendt and turns her designs into a living legacy.

Since May 2016, the angel in white with the tuba has swelled the ranks of the previous trio of violin, saxophone and gong.

ANGEL WITH CANDLE HOLDER

Each figurine is an attractive ornament in its own right, independent of seasonal arrangements and themed decorations.

For the whole year round. The “White Timbre” Edition attracts those with a flair for design and leaves room for their own individual thoughts and interpretations.

553/5

ANGEL WITH TUBA, O N M E D I U M P E D E S TA L

650/200/28

A C H R I S T M A S FA I RY TA L E

Santa Claus makes his way with giant strides through the snow-covered winter forest, hand in hand with his busy little helper: a Marguerite Angel with a small basket filled to the brim with Christmas goodies. They have set out together to bring joy to mankind and to make heartfelt dreams come true. The design for these figurines comes from the pen of Grete Wendt and is more than 90 years old – it was way back in 1924 that the great designer first breathed life into this harmonious pair.

Not available in the USA.

S A N TA C L A U S W I T H T R E E A N D A N G E L

5301/7

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COLLECTION ADDITIONS

Not available in the USA.

G o l d E d i t i o n N o– 9

L i m i t e d G o l d E d i t i o n N o– 9

G I F T B O X “A N G E L W I T H G I N G E R B R E A D ”

GOOD LUCK MESSENGER, ANGEL WITH

GOOD LUCK MESSENGER, ANGEL WITH

GB/150

F O U R - L E A F C L O V E R , G O L D - P L AT E D

F O U R - L E A F C L O V E R O N A M E TA L B A S E , G O L D - P L AT E D , I N A S P L I N T E R B O X

650/122

650/122/LE

A PIECE OF LUCK

THE PERFECT GIFT

The eagerly anticipated Gold Edition N 9 from the traditional manufactory of Wendt & Kühn joined the collection in July this year. The probability of finding a four-leaf clover is only about one in 1,000. This exceptional figurine shortens the odds of striking lucky, as the Good Luck Messenger carries this significant symbol in its hands. Its four-leaf clover is plated with 24-karat gold and available on a grey base – not as a limited edition.

Until now, this item was available exclu­ sively in our two shops in Grünhainichen and Seiffen – now the “Gingerbread ­Angel” gift box is going on sale internationally. This high-quality box has room for a decorated candle, paper napkins and a Wendt & Kühn figurine of your choice in a matching fold-up box. This gift box can be filled with your own personal choices, so it is able to fulfil every wish.

Simply select your favorite angel, and let Christmas begin.

THE YEAR IN PICTURES

April 2017

2 29 15 2 0 1 8 23 3 9 16 4 So 2 7 1 2 3 10 5 2 Mo 8 11 1 6 Di 4 19 2 5 12 7 Mi 20 2 6 13 28 Do 1 2 7 14

Sa

Fr

Standing on a gold-plated metal base, a strictly limited edition of only 22,222 of these figurines will be spreading joy with their gold-plated four-leaf clovers.

The individual serial number is printed on the underside of each figurine, on the base of its attractive splinter box, and also in the lovingly designed accompanying leaflet. This makes every angel a valuable and unique piece.

ril . Ap r d 16 de welt 15 . un alen in -Figuren um Scha & Kühn rn) dt Wen en (O ste iff in Se

August 2017

1 8 15 22 29 Mi 2 9 16 23 30 Do 3 10 17 24 31 Fr 4 11 18 25 Sa 5 12 19 26 So 6 13 20 27 Mo 7 14 21 28 Di

e eit.

Fein darb Han . sche deut Seit 1915

Feine deutsche Handarbeit.

Seit 1915.

November 2017

1 8 15 22 29 2 9 16 23 30 Fr 3 10 17 24 Sa 4 11 18 25 So 5 12 19 26 Mo 6 13 20 27 Di 7 14 21 28 Mi

Do

Feine deutsche Hand arbeit.

Seit 1915.

Looking at the fanciful images in our 2017 calendar, you will encounter old friends as well as figurines that will be joining our workshop’s collection again in the coming year, after spending time in the Grand Sample Cabinet. Take inspiration from the atmospheric scenes and experience the joy, charm and radiance of our figurines. The 2017 calendar can be ordered as a complete set with the wooden frame and a figurine, or simply as a collection of calendar sheets.

The 2017 calendar figurine, the Angel with Teddy Bear, is also available separately.

C A L E N D A R 2 0 1 7, C O M P L E T E

2017

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ANGEL WITH ACCORDION, SUSPENDED

650/130/48

ANGEL WITH TRIANGLE,

ANGEL WITH SONG BOOK

ANGEL WITH ENGLISH

CHRISTMAS TREE ANGEL

I N S TA R

AND BIRD, IN MOON

HORN, ON CLIP

I N R I N G , W I T H W R E AT H

LITTLE SUSPENDED ANGEL WITH TRUMPET

650/80/16

650/70/12b

650/90/69

6308/155

6307/36

HOSTS OF ANGELS ON THE CHRISTMAS TREE

Yet again this year the figurines from Wendt & Kühn are certain to make a striking impression on Advent wreaths, Christmas trees and bouquets. The “Christmas Tree Decorations” collection has grown to include more than 70 different figurines that enchant the viewer as they hang from boughs of spruce, pine or fir. There, Eleven Dot Angels rock backwards and forwards on crescent moons, perch inside glowing stars, and ride on shooting stars and comets. And Marguerite Angels swing from golden threads or inside delicate rings – always creating a real focal point.

New range of figurines: Until recently the four-centimeter Eleven Dot Angels have only been available sitting on a crescent moon – since August 2016 these heavenly messengers have also delighted us in a bright yellow star. The Angel with Triangle is the first in this new range. Every year another figurine will be added, providing even more decorative options for those green branches.

BOOK “HOW THE ANGEL GOT HIS ELEVEN DOTS”

E B 2 0 1 5 / E n g , Ha r d c o v e r, 3 2 Pa g e s

ENGLISH PREMIERE

Ever since its publication last autumn, the German edition of the lovingly designed book “How the Angel Got His Eleven Dots” has delighted readers of all ages. Now English-speaking fans of Wendt & Kühn, too, can immerse themselves in the story of the small shawm player. Since August 2016 the book has also been available in an English language edition.

BECOMING A MARGUERITE ANGEL

634/Wk

ART AND CRAFTSMANSHIP D I S P L AY E D I N D E T A I L

The many steps and loving attention to detail required to make a Wendt & Kühn figurine are vividly illustrated in the new “Becoming a Marguerite Angel” framed display. It shows the meticulous order in which a delicate Marguerite Angel must be assembled, together with its accessories. Perfect for enthusiasts and collectors of the fine handcrafted items made in our workshops.

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Whenever the founder of the company, Grete Wendt, was asked why the world-famous Grünhainichen Angels® have eleven dots on their wings, she used to say, “They just turned out like that”. To mark the 100 th anniversary of our company, these words have been sympathetically interpreted in an illustrated book that is now available in an English language edition. The 32-page book explains how the shawm player, who joined the angel orchestra last year, came to earn his eleven dots. We interviewed the author of the book, Tina Nero, and the illustrator Ralf Brenner.

One question before we begin. Do you collect Wendt & Kühn figurines?

T I N A N E R O : Yes, specially selected pieces.

R A L F B R E N N E R : I like to surround myself with a number of pieces, particularly of course at Christmas. And I love to give Wendt & Kühn figurines as gifts.

And now to the book. Is this the first time you have worked together?

R A L F B R E N N E R : Yes, we didn’t know each other beforehand.

I was intrigued by the subject from the word go, and when I read the manuscript it was clear to me that to do the illustrations for this story would be a wonderful job.

T I N A N E R O : I didn’t know who was going to illustrate the story. So I am all the more delighted that the text and images complement each other so well.

In the book the Angels and Blossom Kinder are given human traits. What inspired you to bring the figurines to life, as it were?

T I N A N E R O : I studied the figurines from the collection for a long time and let them work their magic on me. Is it our longing for the carefree days of our own childhood that makes these small figurines so appealing? The happiness of the Blossom Kinder always brings a smile to my lips. The Angels do not possess any spiritual powers. These are no mythical creatures we encounter. It is much more the poetry of the moment that makes them our friend and companion. So the idea came to me that a Grünhainichen Angel® embodies certain virtues and that the dots on its wings represent these good character traits.

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How important was it to your illustrations that the angels have been given life?

R A L F B R E N N E R : In my pictures I was able to give even more movement and expression to the qualities already possessed by the captivating wooden originals. When it came to the different locations where the action takes place the illustrations gave me the opportunity of showing the different emotions of our little hero. What is going on inside him is to be seen in his face and his gestures. So the illustrations are a mixture of the real and the fantastic. In the book we encounter the small hero as a living childlike character who is able to draw us into his story.

A STORY FROM WENDT & KÜHN

We can feel for him, perhaps because we recognize something of him in our own early memories.

If we allow ourselves to, that is.

Is there one part of the book that you like in particular?

T I N A N E R O : That is very difficult to answer. Perhaps it’s the moment when the small angel fulfils the promise he made at the very beginning. At the end he is proud to have overcome all the challenges he faced. Here, I wanted to emphasize how important it is in life to be able to rely on one another.

R A L F B R E N N E R : I really liked the beginning of the story. Courageous, full of curiosity and following the promptings of his own heart, the small angel breaks rank and dares to go his own way. And in the course of the story he finds it. Helpful and friendly to others, he is proud that he has passed all his challenges, and is happy with what he has achieved and that he has found friends along the way.

Do you think Grete Wendt would have liked the book?

T I N A N E R O : I think she would have said: these are exactly the qualities my angels possess.

R A L F B R E N N E R : I would certainly like to think so.

Who would you recommend this book to?

T I N A N E R O : Children and teenagers who like reading. Parents and grandparents who like to read out loud. And all those who look for the good in people and feel that if we want to achieve our goals and make our dreams come true, then the power has to come from within ourselves.

R A L F B R E N N E R : All I would add is that it is for all those who, no matter their age, permit themselves to be moved by stories and pictures.

THREE FINAL QUESTIONS to author Tina Nero (48), journalist Your favorite children’s book: “Das blaublumige Büffelkind” (which is translated “The blue-flowered buffalo child”) Your favorite author: Segio Bambaren Your favorite film: “City of Angels” to illustrator Ralf Brenner (53), designer Your favorite children’s book: “The Wizard of the Emerald City” Your favorite author: John Irving Your favorite film: “The Chorus”

O N H I S WAY T H R O U G H T H E W O R K S H O P S

the angel has a number of adventures before he is accepted into the world-famous orchestra.

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COV E R S TO RY

THE

COLORFUL WORLD OF WENDT & KÜHN Forget-me-not blue and cornflower blue, sunny sky blue and rainy sky blue, spring blue, autumn blue and ice blue, globe blue and midnight blue – at Wendt & Kühn no two blues are the same. This is demonstrated most impressively on the large color wall in the new World of Wendt & Kühn in Grünhainichen.

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T

hree hundred wooden pucks show the amazing range of colors that are used in the workshops – and these are by no means all of them. More than 400 different shades are used to give life to the pieces made in the Grünhainichen workshops. Grete and Olly Wendt used nature as the inspiration for the coloring of their figurines – for in real life no two shades are the same. Blue is not simply blue, the palette of reds is infinite and there are countless greens. Under a bright summer sun yellow looks different than in the spring when the sun’s first timid rays brave their way through the clouds. And so the yellow glow of the proud sunflower is quite different from that of the humble daffodil. Grete Wendt observed all this very closely and incorporated it into the coloring of her figurines. Her motivation and aspiration was to create lovely pieces that touch the heart. “Nature and life give us so many beautiful things that are worth hanging on to. A little girl in a summer dress, for example, skipping through a meadow full of flowers,” says Katrin Wojtkowiak, who looks after the treasury of designs

on experience, tradition and a trained eye. There are no recipes or computer-aided programs to mix the colors. A few colors that are used in great quantities are mixed by the manufacturer to Wendt & Kühn’s specifications – the grey for the bases, for example, and the delicate color for the faces. But before they can be applied to a figurine, they first come under the searching gaze of master craftswoman Kerstin Lorenz, head of one of the two paint shops. She scrutinizes the shade in the pots and compares them with previous deliveries. “If there are any discrepancies we send the paint samples backwards and forwards until we are one hundred percent satisfied.” After all, we want all of our angels on the great Angel Mountain to have wings in exactly the same shade of green.

All other colors – almost 400 in total – are mixed by hand at Wendt & Kühn. Only Kerstin Lorenz and two other experienced members of staff have authority over the mixing of the colors. “Mixing colors is intuitive. It comes from within you,” is how Kerstin Lorenz describes her skill. She takes us into her ‘color ­laboratory’.

Everything is founded on experience, tradition and a trained eye.

at Wendt & Kühn. “The artistic achievement of our great designers found expression in the deliberation and skill that went into recreating the beauty of nature in their figurines.”

Grete and Olly Wendt mixed individual colors for each figurine until they achieved the effect they were looking for.

So the red dress of the summery Girl with Sunflower is a slightly deeper red than the spring-like skirt of the Girl with Winter Aconite. Here it is a question not only of the individual color, but the way in which the different shades work with one another. So the red of the dress on this particular figurine must tone in with its other colors – and with the other figurines in the Blossom Kinder range. “Anyone who can mix and match colors to this standard is a true artist,” says Katrin ­Wojtkowiak. “It is an art perfected by the Old Masters.” Like an artist painting a picture Grete and Olly Wendt mixed their colors and matched them to one another until they achieved an overall harmony. They poured this accumulated knowledge, their decades of experience, their trained eyes and keen understanding of art into every single one of their designs – as well as their positive view of the world. Their huge mastery of color has been preserved in our workshops for 100 years. Everything is founded

On long shelves stand innumerable pots and jars, not huge buckets and pails, but small containers, most of which hold just one liter. And also lots of jars and cans in which a couple of drops of color are mixed, for the spots on a skirt for example, or the ribbon of a bow. The starting point for each of the around 400 shades is just five basic colors: chrome yellow, ultramarine blue, blue-green, carmine red and bright red. In addition a little white and black, the latter only to be used with the utmost care, warns Kerstin Lorenz.

And so out of these five pots the master craftswoman mixes hundreds of shades: a little ultramarine blue as a base, a couple of drops of blue-green, a touch of chrome yellow, all evened out with a drop of white. This is then painted on and compared with the master sample. Just a little more refinement, two drops of green should do it. Stir and then leave it to rest. Look at it again the next day, hold it up to the light, stir it again and compare. Only when the match

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is perfect can the color go to the paint shop. And here, too, Kerstin Lorenz leaves nothing to chance. She takes us into a long corridor lined with countless drawers. They hold small cardboard boxes with jars of color, all neatly labeled, numbered and arranged in order – one box for each figurine. Here is red for the jacket and grey for the hat – this must be for the Boy with Crocus. Next to it a box with jars of sky blue, delicate pink and sun yellow – all ready for the Girl with Anemone.

Kerstin Lorenz collects a number of jars filled with blue paint, and lines them up side by side. At first glance the different shades of blue look almost the same. But as she takes the wooden stirrer out of each jar and puts them next to one another the impressive range of colors becomes clear. It’s true – each one of the blues is different! Let us look at the Girl with Violet: she is pulling a dark blue pram with a pale blue hood. In her hand she is holding a stormy blue violet with deeper blue markings on the petals. The squiggles on her headscarf are a delicate pale blue – five different shades of blue on one single figurine. A wealth of color à la Wendt & Kühn.

ter and provides superior coverage and adhesion. Nothing else comes close to it,” says Kerstin Lorenz, singing its praises. “For us it is the perfect paint.”

But these exceptional characteristics come at a price. The copal resin paint is anything but easy to work with. It reacts badly to changes in temperature and requires a very long drying period – larger figurines have to stand for up to eight weeks to ensure that the colors are completely dry. It would of course be simpler to use quick-drying paint, or ready-mixed colors. But here, again, it all comes down to tradition. This mastery of color is a skill that has been preserved at Wendt & Kühn for 100 years: the wideranging choice of colors, the precise matching, and the mixing by hand, with a trained eye and a delicate touch.

“Nothing else comes close to copal resin paint.

For us it is the perfect paint.”

Carefully Kerstin Lorenz packs the jars away in the correct boxes, so the colors she has prepared for each figurine are ready for the painters to collect. “For us the busiest time for mixing is early spring,” explains Kerstin Lorenz.

“That is when we paint the Blossom Kinder and they are exceptionally colorful.”

It is not, however, just the range of colors that makes the figurines from the Grünhainichen workshops so unique, it is also their luster. Their intense shine is due to the exceptional paint that Wendt & Kühn traditionally uses: a spirit-based copal resin paint. The basic ingredient looks a little like large brown cane sugar crystals. There is only one specialist supplier in the whole of Germany that makes this paint. “They have been working with Wendt & Kühn for decades and they are also always there for us when we have new projects or special requests,” ­Kerstin Lorenz tells us. As with the ‘White Timbre’ Edition, which has been given a UV blocker so that the paint stays brilliant white for many years. “The spirit-based copal resin paint produces this particular lus-

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T O G E T H E R I N O N E B O X – all the colors required for painting a particular figurine are carefully stored together. These are the colors for the Girl with Starwort.

Can this understanding of color be learned? Master craftswoman Kerstin Lorenz puts it this way: “The painters who work here possess a very special talent and individual skills.

Encouraging each of these gifts is like putting together a giant jigsaw puzzle which finally makes a beautiful whole.”

This requires practice, practice, practice in order to build up a wealth of experience. “I learnt to mix colors from scratch,” she tells us. “I experimented a lot: how do I get this particular shade, what happens if I mix in this or that?

It was a very intense learning process that required a great deal of perseverance.” Today she finds mixing colors easy.

She can see exactly what is required to precisely match the color of a sample. A trained eye accompanied by love, experience and skill.

These are talents that are also essential elsewhere in the workshops: namely, in the repairs department. A striped kitten is curled up on the tiled stove of an old moneybox, in places its coat is flaking off. The skirt on a very old angel

years of practice, so that every Wendt & Kühn figurine reveals its own unique character. But who is to take on the baton from this experienced team of master craftsmen and women when they retire?

I N T H E W O R K S H O P S K N O W L E D G E I S PA S S E D O N

from one

generation of craftsmen and women to the next.

is scratched, the green meadow on a money box has also seen better days. And a decades-old Blossom Child in a delicately checkered dress is waiting for her broken arm to be fixed. Here it is the artistic skill of Claudia Hähner and her team that breathes new life into these old treasures – employing the utmost care.

For once they have been repaired, this kitten, Blossom Child, angel and moneybox should not look brand new but continue to reflect their heritage. “You must not want too much,” says the restorer. “If the Blossom Child only has a broken arm, then I repair the arm and that is all. I would never repaint the dress. Our mission is to paint the repaired arm so that you don’t see any difference between it and the rest of the dress – even if the girl has worn it for many decades.” The challenge here is that colors change over time. You can never simply open a pre-prepared pot of paint and apply it to the repaired limb. It would look just too different from the rest of the dress. So mixing is required. “We want to match the exact shade that the color has taken on over the years,” says Claudia Hähner, describing what they strive to achieve. For testing this she has a special trick: she applies the mixed paint to paper with a high wood content. “The paper has similar qualities to wood,” she confides, “and this tells me how the color will work on the figurine.” And sure enough, once the Blossom Child has been painted she does not look as good as new – nor should she – but her arm has been re­ attached and her dress is no longer damaged. Nevertheless, you can see that the girl has already experienced a great deal in the course of her long life and has many a tale to tell – including how she came by her new arm.

E N C O U R A G I N G T H E T OY M A K E R S OF TOMORROW In our workshops the expert craftsmanship required to bring our Blossom Kinder and Angels to life is passed on from generation to generation. It demands dexterity, artistic talent, loving attention to detail and patience. And

Every year four or five young people start their specialized training at Wendt & Kühn to become toymakers.

A three-year apprenticeship teaches them how to handle wood as a living material, how to work it and how to paint it with skillful artistry. Seiffen, known throughout the world as the “Christmas Village”, is also home to the only school in Germany that teaches such a course.

Here, the young men and women receive a grounding in the subject and are taught the basic skills, which they then build on at the company where they are apprenticed. A total of eleven trainees are currently doing their apprenticeships at our traditional workshops. Once they have successfully completed their training we offer these young people a secure job, thus ensuring that the knowledge and experience found in our workshops will continue to be passed on from generation to generation.

O P E N H O U S E DAYS 2016/17

W

ould you like to experience at first hand the magic of fine craftsmanship? The open house days at Wendt & Kühn are well worth a visit. Twice a year the workshops in Grünhainichen open their doors to interested visitors.

You get to see inside the very workshops in which skilled men and women craft the collection that is so highly sought-after by collectors and enthusiasts from all over the world.

The open house days at The World of Figures in Seiffen give you an unforgettable chance to look over the shoulders of our staff from the gluing and paint shops. You will be astonished and fascinated by their skill. And you will be certain to take home with you one or two ideas for gifts and inspiration for tasteful decorations in your own home.

D AT E S I N G R Ü N H A I N I C H E N

26 & 27 November 2016, 10am to 5pm 25 to 28 May 2017, 10am to 5pm daily 2 & 3 December 2017, also 10am to 5pm D AT E S I N S E I F F E N

15 & 16 April 2017, 10am to 5pm 14 & 15 October 2017, 10am to 6pm

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Transporting figurines à la

Wendt & K

The sunshine yellow houses with their traditional Erzgebirge slate roofs nestle softly into the green hillside. These pictureperfect buildings house the workshops where craftsmen have been busy since the early morning making the well-known figurines of Wendt & Kühn. Mornings are also the busiest time for transporting the figurines around the site. And here at Wendt & Kühn this is still done by muscle power.

S

tarting with the original half-timbered ­“Angel House” on Chemnitzer Straße acquired in 1916, the manufactory has gradually taken over, bit by bit, the steep hill that lies directly behind it. Grete Wendt was very concerned that there should be sufficient seating outside for her employees, no shortage of trees, shrubs and the flower meadows she loved so much, and also that the new buildings should blend harmoniously into the picturesque Erzgebirge village. Following this original concept, the workshops in Grünhainichen are still laid out like that today – supplemented here and there by thoughtfully designed new buildings and essential modernization.

H O U S E BY H O U S E

– this is what the experienced carrier has to master day in day out.

20 PERCENT GRADIENT

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This is not an industrial production line. Instead, house after house has been turned into the separate departments of our workshops. The wood cutting shop, the wood turning shop, the gluing shop, the dipping shop and two paint shops determine the rhythm of the manufactory, which is divided into an “upper” and a “lower” area. In between remains the idyllic patch of green that employees are glad to use as an oasis of peace and calm – just as Grete Wendt wished. This also means that the figurines are allowed a breath of fresh air on their way to being finished. The considerable gradient of the green hillside – nearly 20 percent – makes careful hand and footwork essential.

Kühn

A B R E AT H O F F R E S H A I R

Mario Stein, the man in charge of handling the ­carriage of some 20 to 40 movements of figurines per day, knows what matters. The employees in the various departments rely on him for timely deliveries.

First there are the dipped figurines still all in white waiting impatiently for their skirts, pants, accessories and – most important of all – their faces. They are carried to the paint shop in the lower area on simple boards. As these can sometimes be stacked eight boards high, the fact that no figurines or music boxes are damaged, slip or even fall off is all due to the skill of the experienced carrier. Then there are the painted figurines that need to be conveyed from the upper paint shop to “down below”. They are brought to the packing department in custom-made wooden racks, where they are carefully packed and prepared for their journey into the big wide world. If the face of a Blossom Girl has perhaps turned out a little severe, she is certain to find her smile again at the sight of the Flöha valley.

THE FINISHED FIGURINES

are placed and

transported in wooden racks.

A G L A N C E I N T O T H E PA S T

In 1973, shortly after the nationalization of Wendt & Kühn, resourceful officials attempted to rationalize the way figurines were moved around the site. After much deliberation they recommended the acquisition of a trolley – an idea that was never implemented. The increased work required to secure the figurines could have been the reason for this. If we go back a few more years, we come across Curt Kluge, who in the 1930s was officially employed as a ‘machinist’ at Wendt & Kühn. At the same time, he can also be referred to as the first ‘figurine carrier’ in the history of our workshops. For this job he carried a sort of box that could be strapped to his back. The racks were then simply slid into the box, and a cover protected them in bad weather. Curt Kluge was also seen as a kind of company mascot: with his lanky frame, flat cap, spectacles, moustache and pipe, he looked as though he had just stepped out of one of the works of art by the Romantic painter Ludwig Richter. Both Ludwig Richter and Curt Kluge are said to be the inspiration behind Grete Wendt’s designs for the Wendt & Kühn figurines the ‘Teacher’ and the ‘Toy Painter’. The ‘Toy Painter’ can still be seen today in the Grand Sample Cabinet at the World of Wendt & Kühn in Grünhainichen.

P R E S E R V I N G W H AT W O R K S

C U R T K L U G E , P R O B A B LY T H E FIRST FIGURINE CARRIER,

is seen here shouldering a box with three full racks of figurines. The old wood storage can be seen in the background.

Here at Wendt & Kühn we hold firmly to tradition for good reason. Not because we are against innovation, but because some traditional practices have proved their worth over the years. And so, Mario Stein will continue into the future to spend the morning hours walking the figurines through the Erzgebirge landscape.

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LIVING TRADITION

| Pa r t 5

Grünhainichen Angels

®

AMBASSADORS OF HARMONY AND P O E T RY I N T RO U B L E D T I M E S to Seiffen every December to buy her favorite pieces. And she always brought back something for Christine, from pyramids to nutcrackers, just never an angel from Wendt & Kühn.

MADAME ROBLIN LOVES MUSIC.

Playing the piano is one of her hobbies.

When Christine Roblin gazes upon the faces of her Wendt & Kühn angels, the world is right. She feels their grace and childlike innocence symbolize harmony and poetry in a time overshadowed by destruction and terror. “They allow us to dream, they offer assurance.”

That’s the message the 58-year-old living in the south of France fervently wants to convey to all eleven dot post readers.

M

adame Roblin, born in 1958, lost a piece of her heart to the tiny angels with green wings the very first time she came across one. That was in 1991 at the home of her sister Florence.

Florence owned a complete Angel Mountain.

“I didn’t yet know at the time they were Wendt & Kühn. But I knew they must’ve been very special figurines because my children, and even myself, were never allowed to touch them,” she recalls. “Florence was a musician, she played the concert flute.”

Christine believes this explains her sister’s passion for collecting the Grünhainichen Angel Musicians, although she’s not sure where Florence first discovered them. Perhaps the Christmas Market in Strasbourg? Florence and her husband lived very close by. But they might also have caught her eye in a Käthe Wohlfahrt shop in the small town of Riquewhir in Alsace or in the German Christmas Village of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Wherever her passion was first kindled, from then on Florence would travel

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Florence passed away in 2001. The sisters’ parents inherited the angel orchestra. “I first noticed one of her angels in a display case at my parent’s house three years ago. I turned it over and saw the label – W.u.K. with the fir tree – under the base and then immediately looked that up online,” she relates. Christine eventually subscribed to the eleven dot post on the English version of the Wendt & Kühn website and thus came that much closer to fulfilling her burning desire of owning her very own Angel musicians. She first learned about company founder Grete Wendt and her colleague and sister-in-law Olly Wendt from the magazine. “I devoured all the articles on the origin and history of the angels. I’m so fascinated and in awe of the imagination and creativity of those two women. What a full and exciting life they led! I also feel a certain affinity with them. Because I love flowers, trees and animals just like they did. And I love music.

I play the piano, my favorites being the romantic Chopin and Tchaikovsky pieces,” she gushes.

What exactly is it about Wendt & Kühn that fascinates Christine Roblin so much? “Each figurine is more beautiful than the last.

And I love them all because each of them genuinely embodies a snippet of everyday life and because they are all so delicate and full of poetry,” she answers without hesitation. And thus Blossom Kinder and other angels have since been added to the Grand Angel Orchestra atop the Angel Mountain. This romantically minded lady decorates her French home with the “delightful wooden figurines” for every season and still takes great pleasure each time in arranging them into expressive scenes. She now orders directly from a trusted retailer in Saxony as there are no Wendt & Kühn outlets near where she lives 30 miles outside of Toulouse.

The avid collector visited Seiffen and Grünhainichen in September 2015. “I’m going back as soon as I can.” Of that there’s no doubt. “And I will of course bring a little something back from Wendt & Kühn for my three children, even if they’re still more hooked on their smartphones at the moment…,” she adds with an impish grin, not unlike one of her own beloved angels.

FROM OUR READERS

I

want to express my thanks to you for the great pleasure your products give me. I saw your figurines for the first time five years ago. Since then they have become my great passion. When I come to Germany I buy the Blossom Kinder in summer and the Angel Musicians at Christmas. The figurines are then a wonderful memento of my trip. I have built my own display case, as these are not easy to find in Russia. Now I take delight in my figurines every day – they make my life positive and full of color.

LISA BURKINA

| Rjazan, Russia

D I

have been a passionate collector of your angels from Grünhainichen for many years. At Whitsun we had a visit from my wife’s mother. She was born in Dresden and went to school there.

She told us that in 1939 her school did a Christmas theater performance that featured the Grünhainichen Angels and she gave me the enclosed photograph. We would be absolutely delighted if you would publish it in your magazine.

ear Wendt & Kühn, today was an exciting day in our house, as it was the day on which we passed on the tradition of setting up the angels to our son, Otis. Grandma showed her eighteen-month old grandson all her little angels and he helped her to arrange them. Thank you for all our wonderful memories.

T H E B U R K E FA M I LY | E s s e n , Ge r m a n y

O . K N E C H T | L e i n f e l d e n - E c h t e r d i n g e n , Ge r m a n y

R

eading every new edition of the eleven dot post gives me enormous pleasure as does your entire collection, but the Eleven Dot Angels in particular. My collection is not yet complete, but it is steadily growing as I too have developed a passion for collecting these ‘little fellows’. Each one of them gives me so much joy every time I look at them that I have decided it is a real shame to put them away in their box after Christmas. So now they are allowed to keep me company the whole year round, spending the rest of the year in a glass cabinet. I have also made stands out of pottery to display the Christmas tree angels and those on clips. In this way each angel has its own special place, and not only at Christmas.

S . M A C K | M o r i t z b u r g , Ge r m a n y

D

uring a visit to the World of Wendt & Kühn in Grünhainichen, Paul Cirino from New York drew our attention to the appearance of one of our music boxes in the American movie “Sweepings”. In it the “Globe” music box makes its grand entrance in the hands of actor William Gargan. He later thanked us for this wonderful experience with a heartfelt “Danke Shoen!” (sic). We are the ones who should be saying thank you.

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n August this year I received two weeks of training at Wendt & Kühn, as in the future I will be carrying out minor repairs to damaged Wendt & Kühn figurines in my homeland, Japan. I had already trained in Seiffen 15 years ago to become a toymaker. Now I needed to brush up on my knowledge and most importantly to learn how to handle the specialist paints used

by Wendt & Kühn. I was very anxious to see if I would be able to do it. Every day I grew in confidence. It was an unbelievably exciting and educative time for me. A surprise was how many journalists came to write about my training. I had a lot to tell my two children. And also of course my husband, whom I married in Seiffen, Germany, in 2004.

MAHO ITO

| To k y o , Ja p a n

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L E AV I N G T H E C O L L E C T I O N

FOUR-LEAF CLOVER SYMBOLISM

AT Y E A R S ’ S E N D

| 2016

A N G E L- D R AW N C A R T W I T H C H I L D

Luck within our reach

O

ur longing for personal happiness has existed as long as mankind itself. There are a number of symbols that represent good luck, and not in Germany alone. Examples are the chimney sweep, the horseshoe and the ladybird. The most famous symbol of good luck is not restricted to Europe, but is known the world over: the fourleaf clover. You need a very keen eye to find one growing naturally, as they are very rare. But should you be lucky enough to come across one of these rare specimens, you will enjoy good luck from then onwards. Or so it is said.

What is the origin of this belief? A number of explanations have been given. One is that when in the bible Eve was banished from the Garden of Eden, she took with her a four-leaf clover as a memento. This means that anyone who owns one of these exceptional finds holds a small piece of paradise in their hand.

Be that as it may, the gold-plated fourleaf clover held by our figurine from the Gold Edition N 9 brings luck within our grasp. For this reason we have christened it our “Good Luck Messenger”. A figurine that makes the perfect companion or gift for conveying good wishes. Together with the limited edition it can be seen on page 10 of this edition.

5322/2

SINGING CHILD, SMALL

5231/11

SINGING CHILD, LARGE

5231/10

Farewell

The figurines shown above have been on sale through our retailers for the last time this year. They will now return to the workshop’s historic Grand Sample Cabinet for at least five years. As this eleven dot post goes to print, all the Angel-drawn Carts and Singing Children available until the end of 2016 have already been ordered through authorized Wendt & Kühn specialist retailers.

I M P R I N T e l e v e n d o t p o s t · 1 0 th 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 6 Publisher: Wendt & Kühn KG, Chemnitzer Straße 40, 09579 Grünhainichen, Germany · Telephone +49 37294 86 286 info@wendt-kuehn.com · www.wendt-kuehn.com Chief Editors, legally responsible for content: Claudia Baer, Thomas Rost, Wendt & Kühn Editors: Katrin Bohne, Cathleen Thiele, Wendt & Kühn Design: schech.net | Strategie. Kommunikation. Design.

Translation: Sternkopf Communications Text: Sylva-Michèle Sternkopf (6-7, 9, 14-17), Ines Nebelung (20) Photography: Juliane Mostertz (1, 17, 18, 19), Angela Stuhrberg (2), Marcus Heilscher (2, 9, 23), René Gaens (4, 12-13, 14-16), S + M Rümmler (6), Ines Nebelung (20), fotolia.com/alenalihacheva (22) Print: Gutermuth, Grünhainichen, Germany

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W W W.W E N D T- K U E H N . C O M