Wendt & Kühn - eleven dot post 2023/2024 (US edition)

SELECTED CONTENT

4 Happy Birthday

Decorating idea

5 An international award: Its certificate and the history behind it

A real find

G is for the green of angel wings Grünhainichen Lexicon

6 A dazzling collection for this centenary year

2023 additions to collection

12 Heavenly idea for a gift

Book and figurine

13 Stories that move us Your favorite angels

14 A design classic celebrates its birthday

100 years of the Eleven Dot Angels

DEAR FRIENDS OF WENDT & KÜHN,

There’s something very special about the mood in the Wendt & Kühn workshops this year as we celebrate the 100th birthday of the Eleven Dot Angels. Let’s take a look back, and remember: The year is 1923 –five years since the devastation of World War One. In the small village of Grünhainichen a talented young designer creates her first three angels with the green wings decorated with eleven white dots, seen as a sign of hope. Grete Wendt (1887–1979), my great-aunt and the founder of the company Wendt & Kühn, could not have foreseen that 100 years later, admirers and collectors from all over the world would still be fascinated by these Eleven Dot Angels. Unchanged in form and color since then, they have grown into a host that includes more than 80 angel musicians alone, and have already become legends in their own lifetime. We have an in-depth article covering the fascinating history of this design classic on page 14 of this magazine.

The anniversary will be celebrated with figurines to mark the occasion including an enchanting birthday angel, a magnificent wall clock that plays a tune every hour and the return of the legendary first three Eleven Dot Angels. These angels with torch, violin and small trumpet, each standing on a star-shaped base plated in 24-karat gold, come as a trio and will be produced exclusively in 2023 – in a strictly limited edition of 5,555 sets. Starting on page 6 we show you in detail all the new additions and reissued items in our current collection. These include a gift set that we have never produced in this form before. On page 12 we tell you all about the large part played here by the Angel with Shawm.

20

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree Christmas tree decorations at Wendt & Kühn

22 Farewell

Leaving the collection at year’s end

And at this point I would like to mention that the Grünhainichen orchestra will not be welcoming a new angel musician this year. But I can reveal that another Eleven Dot Angel will be joining the orchestra in 2024. Now that’s something to look forward to!

May I wish you much pleasure from our 7th edition of the eleven dot post published specially for our fans and collectors in the USA.

Your

Claudia Baer, née Wendt

Happy Birthday

A delicious cake, some flowers, birthday candles and the company of those you love – that’s all it takes for a really successful celebration. Wendt & Kühn figurines know this very well and are happy to join in with the festivities, too.

This cheerful crowd of well-wishers appears to be just about to burst into a rendition of Happy Birthday, all standing close together – the little ones in front, the larger ones behind. In their hands they are holding a Bundt cake, flowers, a balloon and a letter containing warm greetings. They’ve even thought to bring the coffee for this cozy get-together. To recreate this scene yourself, place all your favorite figurines together in a group. A varied and

colorful mix is just what you want, as it brings a refreshing vitality to the scene. Blossom Kinder, Marguerite Angels and Eleven Dot Angels all standing side by side, perhaps for the first time ever. When arranging your figurines, just follow your instincts: an informal arrangement will give your decorative display an uncomplicated simplicity. Small yellow and blue birds provide an additional accent, chirping along to Happy Birthday. The figurines really stand out if they are given a “frame”. A simple plate, a small tray or a large wooden board are all suitable options.

A joyful display that is certain to surprise the birthday boy or girl on the morning of their birthday and make their eyes shine.

An international award: Its certificate and the history behind it

Paris, 1937. The city of fashion and design is hosting the World Exhibition for the sixth time. 46 nations are showcasing their national art and culture together with new developments in research and technology. In the German pavilion, companies from different regions of Germany display their products to an international audience. Among them Grete Wendt, presenting her figurines. For her unique composition “Angel Mountain with Madonna” she is awarded a gold medal and in addition the Grand Prix. This sparked enthusiasm for the green-winged angels around the world. Both the gold medal and its accompanying certificate are stored securely in our archives. Measuring an impressive 20 x 26 inches, the precious document is made of stiff card, on which the medal is stamped and embossed with gold leaf. The company name “Wendt et Kühn. Grünhainichen/Sa.” is hand written in black ink. One small detail is somewhat strange: according to the inscription the medal was awarded to “Messieurs Wendt & Kühn”. Presumably at that time it was rare for a successful company to be represented by a woman.

For many years the certificate occupied pride of place in what was formerly our sample room before it was stored securely in the company archive for the past few years. Sadly the ravages of

GRÜNHAINICHEN LEXIKON

time have gnawed away at the almost 90-year-old certificate –in the literal sense of the word: the edges of the card have been damaged by adhesive residue and small holes. A specialist paper restorer repaired the damaged areas with great skill so that the document can once again tell its fascinating story in all its glory: how it came from the cosmopolitan city of Paris to the tranquil village of Grünhainichen.

G IS FOR THE GREEN OF ANGEL WINGS

It’s so green here at Wendt & Kühn: we have many shades of green in the workshops, with more than 50 different ones in the pots in the paint shop. One of these has been specially reserved by the Eleven Dot Angels for their wings. It is in a warm, soft hue, yet on an angel where colors are kept to a minimum, it strikes a bold accent. The painters apply the color with a wide brush and later the eleven white dots that give the angels their name are dabbed on. At one time the green paint was mixed in the workshops – most probably by each individual painter, which could occasionally lead to color variations.

Today the green paint for the wings is one of the few colors that is delivered ready mixed. We do not know why Grete Wendt chose this particular color for the wings when she created the Eleven Dot Angels in 1923. Green is commonly considered to be the color of hope. Perhaps she consciously wanted to make a point here, in a year that in Germany was characterized by uncertainty and hyperinflation. Green also stands for harmony and nature – both of which played an important role in Grete Wendt’s life and undoubtedly influenced the design of the legendary Eleven Dot Angels.

for this centenary year A dazzling collection

We are celebrating the 100th birthday of the Eleven Dot Angels with an exceptional collection comprising an enchanting birthday angel, limited edition showpieces and many more joyful figurines to accompany the friends of Wendt & Kühn through this special year.

650/129

ON THE MAGIC OF MUSIC

650/129/LE

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.

The notes on the stave that the Gold Edition Angel No – 16 is carefully holding in its hands appear to be dancing up and down. “Without music, life would be a mistake,” wrote the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900). And this thought is clearly one that guides our “Composer”, who embodies impressively the magic that comes from music. Without any words, it can inspire us, make us happy and evoke wonderful memories. The gently curved lines of the stave, the delicate notes and artistically designed treble clef are all plated in 24-karat gold. They represent brilliantly the high art of creating a soundscape. But what is the melody that is hiding within the golden notes on the

stave? With the first strains of “Happy Birthday”, the “Composer” brings us what is probably the best-known birthday song of all – marking the anniversary of the Eleven Dot Angels and the birthdays of all their admirers. And this song is celebrating a major anniversary of its own in 2023: it has been delighting young and old for 130 years. The “Composer” makes a wonderful gift for everyone who loves music. For small songsmiths and large melomaniacs. And for those who are encouraged by the angel to live life to the full.

The angel with gold-plated base is available in a strictly limited edition – only 22,222 of these figurines will bring their owners the magic of music.

Limited Gold Edition N o – 16 COMPOSER, ANGEL WITH STAVE ON A METAL BASE, GOLD-PLATED, IN A SPLINTER BOX (2.5")

Gold Edition N o – 16 COMPOSER, ANGEL WITH STAVE, GOLD-PLATED (2.5")

A MAGNIFICENT FINALE

The fine craftsmanship of Wendt & Kühn and the sophistication of the Meissen porcelain manufactory epitomize the collaboration between these two manufactories. This exclusive series is now coming to its magnificent conclusion with one further gift set in 2023. Once again a motif from the historic “Meissen Blumentafel” has been used as the pattern for creating the figurine and the painting on the dish. This year a liverleaf adorns the elegant porcelain dish with its gold rim. And once again we confronted the challenge of accurately translating the virtuosity of form and color in the Meissen drawing into a physical figurine that the Grünhainichen workshops could reproduce. Shaded by the leaf of a delicate flower sits a little girl. Wearing a sunny-yellow pinafore dress and a pretty wreath of flowers she is completely engrossed in her book. A sight that makes one happy and brings a smile to our lips. The year of production – 2023 – painted on the underside of the porcelain dish, immediately under the world-famous crossed blue swords, underlines the exclusivity of this gift set.

WALKING TOWARDS THE SUN

With his short pants, smart sun hat and lively gait, the new Blossom Boy celebrates the summer in all its splendor. The flower in his hands looks like the sun itself and in German it has the poetical name of Summer’s Bride. The boy has made himself very smart in a white shirt and a lime-green vest, but it’s his checkered pants that are the real eye-catcher. Great skill is required to paint this pattern. Every brush stroke has to be exact to make the pattern complete. The flower itself also attracts admiring glances. Nine deep red petals bring the flower to life and attract the odd butterfly and bumblebee. The joyful Boy with Helenium issues to us a heartfelt invitation to enjoy the summer and makes a precious gift for all gardeners and lovers of flowers.

BOY WITH HELENIUM (5") 5248/29

GIRL WITH LIVERLEAF, ON A MOUND, WITH MEISSEN PORCELAIN DISH (Height Figurine 3.5" | Dimensions Dish 4.75 x 3.5") 5226/3

FUN IN THE GARDEN

Children in the garden – playing happily on the lawn or busying themselves with the flower beds. Two cheeky chicks, birds and butterflies join in the fun. This is just how we picture sunny days in spring and summer. These new paper napkins from Wendt & Kühn bring this relaxed feeling to the table. Tip: Arrange the matching figurines on the table, too. In this way you can create with paper napkins and happy children an impressive display that will enchant you and your guests.

DELICIOUS CAKE

What more fitting accessory could there be for our gnome in this special birthday year for our Eleven Dot Angels than a delicious cake? A wonderful surprise for both the birthday angels and all those with a sweet tooth. Our friends in the pointed hats are now demonstrating their prowess with flour and a mixing bowl. A lovely detail is the powdered sugar “sprinkled” over the cake by the painters using a so-called stippling brush. Grete Wendt’s gnome, first created in 1926, is today still guaranteed to make the eyes of cake makers and those with a sweet tooth light up.

A MAJOR REINFORCEMENT

The Angels wearing Crowns enchant us year after year, five small and one large. The large angel is now receiving reinforcement in the form of an angel with candle holders. This angel was designed by Olly Wendt earlier than 1937. Whether it is displayed together with its larger companion or placed alongside its small angel friends to emphasize the interesting variation in size – this new Angel wearing Crown will bring joy to all.

BIRTHDAY ANGEL

The Eleven Dot Angel sits happily in front of an easel and surveys its work. Using white paint and a fine applicator, it has just put the final eleventh dot on the angel wings in its picture. The painting depicts an angel with a small trumpet – one of the first three Eleven Dot Angels designed by Grete Wendt. Its little bench is in painted gold in honor of the 100th anniversary. And there is another special feature: the craftswomen at our workshops have, so to speak, assisted the angel in adding the legendary eleven dots to the wings of the angel in the printed picture on the easel. These raised painted dots on this enchanting miniature painting are yet another charming detail. A special label on the underside of the base will serve as a reminder of this major anniversary for years to come.

PAPER NAPKINS “GARDEN PARADE” (13 x 13" opened) 526/22/Garten

GNOME WITH CAKE (2.5") 5243/18

ANGEL WEARING CROWN, WITH TWO CANDLE HOLDERS AND WOODEN CANDLES (4.5") 6236/1

BIRTHDAY ANGEL 2023, WITH EASEL (2") 650/2023

The angel will be produced exclusively in our 2023 anniversary year.

MUSIC ON THE TREE

Christmas tree decorations have a long tradition at Wendt & Kühn. Tree decorations were first mentioned in the 1921 price list. In 2023 it’s the Angel with Shawm in a Star that tunefully announces the arrival of Advent. His new musician friends – an angel on a clip with a transverse flute and a Christmas tree angel with a guitar sitting in a ring – join in the sweet Christmas melody.

The story starting on page 20, dedicated to the Christmas tree decorations of Wendt & Kühn, ensures still more Christmas spirit on the tree.

COLLECTION ADDITIONS

THE SCENT OF CHRISTMAS

The scent of roasted almonds is inextricably linked to Advent. As one of Santa’s little helpers, this small Marguerite Angel knows all about it and so sets to work. Skillfully she pours the roasted nuts into a traditional cone-shaped bag decorated with tiny dots by the painters in the workshops. When it comes to the almonds, the painters have made every effort to make them look as realistic as possible. First the tiny balls are painted a caramel brown color, then the painters dab the almonds with a darker shade of brown to give them their “roasted” look – an extra step that illustrates clearly just how much attention to detail goes into every figurine from Wendt & Kühn. What are these tiny miniature almonds made of? All we can reveal is that they are not made of wood, but from small black balls that are actually edible …

CHRISTMAS FIGURINE 2023

A bright yellow star-shaped base and a powerful trunk supporting a green crown –that’s all that is needed for this simple yet effective composition. The “branches” of this turned tree are created on a lathe using a specialist technique that requires great dexterity and a good eye. Based on an original design, this little tree will be produced exclusively in 2023. A special label on the underside of the base with the words “Zum Weihnachtsfest 2023” (For Christmas 2023) emphasizes the limited nature of this edition. This turned tree brings to an end, after five years, our series of exclusive miniature figurines on yellow stars.

Joining the collection in October

MARGUERITE ANGEL, SITTING, WITH ROASTED ALMONDS (1.5") 634/70/43

ANGEL WITH SHAWM, IN STAR (3.5") 650/70/75

ANGEL WITH TRANSVERSE FLUTE, ON CLIP (2.25") 650/90/18

CHRISTMAS TREE ANGEL IN RING, WITH GUITAR (2.5") 6308/38

TURNED TREE, ON STAR (2") RINGELBAUM/ST

3 MANUFACTURERS — 1 MASTERPIECE

When the fine craftsmanship of three renowned workshops is brought together, the result is something precious and unique. And tuneful as well. Here we are talking about the Large Wall Clock from Wendt & Kühn with its integrated musical movement. At the top of the clock an angel in a long robe and holding a song book keeps watch. She keeps time for the angel musicians with her baton and combines their separate melodies into sweet-sounding music. And what’s more, a heavenly melody plays every hour on the hour. Using sophisticated mechanics and the very highest level of precision, clockmakers Hermle based in the Swabian Alps have created a clock mechanism linked to a musical movement. Two German tunes – “Guter Mond, du gehst so stille” (Good Moon, You Go So Quietly) and “Weißt du, wie viel Sternlein stehen” (Do You Know How Many Stars There Are?) are played alternately when the 36-note musical movement made by the Swiss company Reuge is set in motion.

Not only is real craftsmanship required to make the musical movement, the clock mechanism and, in our workshops, the clock itself – future owners of this magnificent piece also have to pull their weight: the clock and musical movement need winding every seven days with a key inserted in the clock face. A procedure that creates a very personal connection to the clock and fuels our fascination for mechanical things – a welcome change in our all too often digital lives. The Large Wall Clock from Wendt & Kühn is an impressive and unique piece. One in which the passion of the clockmaker, the sophistication of the musical arrangements and the finest craftsmanship interlock like the cogs in a clock. Timelessly beautiful.

Only a limited number of these wall clocks will ever be produced: 350 clocks will be made in our 2023 anniversary year and a further 150 in 2024.

WALL CLOCK, LARGE, WITH 36-NOTE MUSICAL MOVEMENT (15.25 x 15.25 x 4.5") 5202

YET ANOTHER ADDITION TO OUR NATIVITY SCENE

Designed by Grete Wendt in 1910/11 as a commission from Karl Schmidt, founder of the Deutsche Werkstätten Hellerau, the figurines that have already been brought back into the collection are Mary, Joseph, the Christ Child, an angel, three shepherds and two sheep. From this year onwards the Holy Family will be offered shelter in this stable. The little house with its distinctive decorative fascia is made from steamed robinia. The wooden panels are less than four millimeters thick and require great skill and a steady hand to glue them together precisely. In order to maintain the natural character of the wood, it has been finished with a silk matt varnish with deliberately no color added, making a charming contrast to the strong colors of the figurines which will be placed inside or in front of it. A bright yellow star crowns the tip of the gable. Grete Wendt’s portfolios contain many sketches and studies of this building, whose fascia and pillars have been retained. This particular version has emerged from many different variants and is finally returning to the collection 110 years after it was first designed. The nativity scene will be added to further in the coming years until the Christmas scene is complete. Something to look forward to!

A COMPANION THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

In these days of electronic “mail”, letter writing is increasingly taking a back seat. And yet there are still those special occasions when we like to write a personal note on fine stationery. What the message hidden inside the calendar angel’s envelope is, remains a secret. But it is no secret that the Wendt & Kühn calendar, on whose green frame the small letter writer is sitting, comes with twelve imaginative images to accompany you through 2024. The lovingly arranged scenes of spring figurines, Blossom Kinder, Marguerite Angels and many more, provide inspiration for enchanting decorations. The calendar comes complete with wooden frame and figurine. The angel and the calendar sheets are also available separately.

STABLE, FOR NATIVITY FIGURINES (7 x 5 x 8.25") 5250/15K

CALENDAR 2024, COMPLETE (9 x 7 x 1.75") 2024

Heavenly idea FOR A GIFT

What can be better than immersing yourself in the richly imaginative world of stories?

To experience a new adventure on every page and be enchanted and swept along by the heroes and heroines of the story, who inspire you and often accompany you beyond the pages of the book? Our book “How the Angel got his Eleven Dots”, which is now available as a gift set with a figurine of the lovable hero of the story, has achieved this in the most wonderful way.

The reader accompanies the small shawm player on a journey through the workshops of the Wendt & Kühn manufactory. Here the angel must pass a number of tests in order to earn his distinctive eleven white dots and finally qualify to take his place in the orchestra. For, he had skipped away from his painter Karoline’s work station a little too impatiently – still without the dots on his wings. It is a tale of adventure, friendship and shared values. And the desire that dreams should come true. The 32-page book is imaginatively narrated and beautifully illustrated. For children and teenagers who like reading. For parents and grandparents who like to read out loud. And for all who look for the best in others and let their souls be moved by stories and pictures.

Even away from the pages of the book, the small shawm player has the gift of becoming a heavenly companion for life, precisely because he moves the reader with his courage and huge heart. Placed on a sideboard, on a shelf in a children’s bedroom or another favorite place, he reminds his owners, young and old, to fight for their goals and dreams whenever they look at him.

The book and the “Angel with Shawm” figurine come in an attractive box and make the perfect gift. For Wendt & Kühn fans from five to 99 years old. For Christmas or any other occasion throughout the year.

THE ILLUSTRATIONS in the book have brought the Angel with Shawm lovingly to life, with great attention to detail.

SET “THE ANGEL WITH SHAWM AND HIS STORY” Angel 650/75 (Height 2.5”) and Book EB2015/Eng (Dimension 11 x 9.75 x 0.25”) SET/75/EBENG

Your favorite angels

STORIES THAT MOVE US

If we were to lay end to end a paper version of all the letters and emails we have received in answer to our “My Favorite Angel” campaign, we would have a trail of stories almost 300 meters long. A trail leading through “100 Years of the Eleven Dot Angels”, paved with amusing anecdotes, moving stories and unforgettable moments.

We have received almost 900 responses. An incredible number that – to be perfectly honest –we had never expected on this scale. We have been overjoyed with each and every story that has brought to life the Eleven Dot Angels from our workshops. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We have read your letters from near and far: people from the USA, Australia and South Africa, for example, have nominated their favorite angels. And from young and old: our oldest correspondent astonishing us at 99 years old. Some letters were short and sweet, others covered several pages. Quite often, the seemingly simple question about one’s favorite angel set in hand research into family histories to ascertain how an angel, or the love for it, was passed on from one generation to the next.

So which are our collectors’ favorite angels? The result is as varied as the range of Eleven Dot Angels themselves. Often the answer is simply the first angel they ever owned. And these frequently have special memories attached to them. Many collectors wrote to us about the angel with the gold heart that has been involved in all manner of love affairs – from a gift on a first date, to a marriage proposal and a golden wedding anniversary. The Angel at the Grand Piano has also played its way into the hearts of many – impressed by the large, beautifully crafted instrument. And then there was the sitting Angel with Songbook, with a small bird at its feet. This featured many times in memories of a carefree childhood. We also discovered that there are quite a number of musicians who collect our figurines – from amateur instrumentalists to professionals. Their favorite angel is usually the one that plays their particular instrument. It conjures up the beautiful idea of them playing music together.

Often our angels are keeping alive the memory of a loved one. Or they allow us to look back at the particular moment that we bought them or received them as a gift, and sometimes even rescued them. For it is not uncommon for stories of your favorite angels to revolve around dramatic experiences during the Second World War. Salvaged from the rubble, acting as guardian angels during night-time bombing raids or chosen as one of the few belongings that people took with them when they fled. And so in a way the Eleven Dot Angels can truly be said to have borne witness to a turbulent century.

With each story we read, we came a little closer to finding the answer to what our Eleven Dot Angels actually achieve: they accompany us through times full of love and great joy, as well as moments of happiness and sadness. They give comfort, strength, courage and confidence. The stories gave us valuable insights into the lives of our collectors. They made us marvel, smile and sometimes they moved us to tears. We feel these insights enrich our day to day work at Wendt & Kühn and we see them as confirmation that even though they are only wooden figurines, our angels have something about them that makes people lose their hearts to them. We also wish to take this opportunity to thank you for the great trust you have placed in us by sharing your stories – often indeed your life stories.

Now you too can read our first selection of moving stories featuring our small heroes on pages 15 to 19 of this magazine. You can find more on the anniversary pages of our website: www.wendt-kuehn.us/angelanniversary-2023/my-favourite-angel

1923 WAS THE YEAR IN WHICH GRETE WENDT designed the first three Eleven Dot Angels. Her exceptional creativity soon produced more and more designs: A supplement to the 1925 catalog shows more than 20 different variants of winged messengers.

100 YEARS OF THE ELEVEN DOT ANGELS

A design classic celebrates its birthday

The Eleven Dot Angel has now been enchanting people all over the world for one hundred years, reaching deep into their souls – a simple wooden figurine, only a few inches high, with no discernible practical purpose whatsoever. And in all that time, the design and color palette have remained unchanged! Few other items could have survived over such a long period of time in a hectic, ever-changing market – and after 100 years still remained as “fresh” as they were on the very first day.

The year is 1923. Five years after the end of the devastating First World War. Hyperinflation, unemployment und social unrest shape everyday life in Germany. A time when people could really use an “angel”... And then in the fall of 1923, a talented young designer in the small village of Grünhainichen comes forward with a sign of hope – and creates history with her design of the Eleven Dot Angel. Her name is Grete Wendt. Eight years earlier she had founded the company Wendt & Kühn with Grete Kühn, a friend from her student days. Their product range in those early years consisted of angels holding candles, wooden chests, turned boxes and candelabras. These were joined in 1923 by the Eleven Dot Angels, a group of figurines that from then onwards would become an integral part of the collection. Originally, Grete Wendt had “only” wanted to design a Christmas gift for the employees of the workshops. At the time she could not have foreseen that 100 years later these angels would still be working their magic.

Thanks to historic documents that have survived undamaged over the years, we know which Eleven Dot Angels Grete Wendt designed first: one with a torch, another with a violin and a third with a small trumpet. She never explained why she decided on these three particular designs. Was the torch being used to send a ray of hope? Were the angels with the violin and small trumpet intended to open the hearts of onlookers with their music? It’s a nice idea – and one that would fit in with Grete Wendt’s character and interests.

A GROUND-BREAKING “TRICK”

In terms of design, Grete Wendt broke completely new ground with her Eleven Dot Angels. In contrast to the traditional figurines made in the Erzgebirge that were often rather rigid, she gave her creations movement and dynamism, and brought them to life. “In order to give these angel figurines as much childlike movement and expression as possible, I tried to overcome the artificial rigidity that comes from using a single lathe-turned body,” she wrote in her notes. She achieved this through an innovative production technique that broke through the imposed symmetry of latheturned components by cutting the limbs of the figurines at an angle and then reassembling them, thus giving them movement. Grete Wendt recorded her innovation in her own personal notes: “I no longer restricted myself to the one axis that you get from simply using a single turned body. Instead I used several different turned components whose axes I positioned in different directions to one another and joined the cut surfaces together at the appropriate angle.” She continued: “This means of expression allowed me to give the figurines the childlike qualities and versatility of movement and expression I wanted, and in this way to maintain a clear, natural production method.” And miraculously it worked: the angels no longer stood there rigid and serious with stiff arms and legs, but almost seemed as if they were alive. An apparently simple, but ground-breaking “trick”.

Twelve years ago, I ordered a large angel playing the French horn from a Wendt & Kühn dealer. A few weeks later the dealer realized that they had sent the wrong angel and offered to reimburse me and send the correct one. But then I told them the story of just why the large angel sitting in the star playing the harp would not be leaving South Africa: My father had been taken seriously ill and had fallen into a coma. We were told by the doctors that he would not survive. To everyone’s surprise he came out of the coma on day three, and that was the day that the angel with harp arrived. My father came home and fully recovered. Sadly, my father passed away this year but as I unwrap my favorite angel playing the harp in the star, the wonderful Christmases spent with my family come flooding back, and so these heavenly messengers bring joy, hope and comfort to families all around the world.

C. DU TOIT, PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA

Shortly after reunification, several teachers from Saxony were invited by the US embassy to visit schools in the US to observe the differences in our school systems. Being a teacher of German as a second language, as well as having family roots in Thalheim, I was eager to host an instructor at our school. Dagmar from Leipzig stayed with my family and was a gracious guest in my German language classroom. Dagmar’s gift to me was an angel with a horn. The design was beautiful, and the angel was the beginning of a collection. Since our meeting, Dagmar and I have seen one another every year, either in the US or in Germany, except when travel was not permitted due to COVID. With each visit and at Christmas, she gives me another angel and I purchase one, as well. Every day I look at my angel orchestra in my living room and think of the Erzgebirge and Dagmar. My favorite angel was given to me this summer while visiting Leipzig. It is an angel with a golden book, reminding me that Dagmar and I share our passion for languages with our students.

K. FEGELY, READING, PA, USA

Grete Wendt painted the wings of the angels green and decorated them with eleven white dots, which became their trademark and gave the Eleven Dot Angels their name. In answer to the question “Why eleven dots?” she always answered with a gentle smile: “They just turned out like that.” And this now legendary expression has long become a “company saying” that is always used when there is no other explanation for a decision or when none is needed.

UNBOUNDED CREATIVITY

Grete Wendt loved her work. She loved the creativity that allowed her to give expression to her ideas. She loved the wide range of angels she designed over the decades, and she loved the idea that with her creations she was putting smiles on people’s faces. “It always gives me such great pleasure to create something truly different,” she was fond of saying. And so she did not stop at just three Eleven Dot Angels. “Every year new angels were created for my own personal enjoyment that went on to become unexpectedly popular and sought after,” Grete Wendt recorded in her notes.

Fascinating, that over the years a large family of angels has grown up from a few similar –admittedly really simple – turned components. In 1924, four new Eleven Dot Angels are to be found among the new products exhibited at trade fairs. One of them, riding a stork with a candle holder in its hand, was designed by Olly Sommer (later Wendt), the faithful designer who worked alongside Grete Wendt. A curious detail only becomes apparent if you take a second look at the picture in the 1925 catalog: it shows 12 dots on the wings of this angel instead of eleven.

By 1929, the heavenly host had grown to 31 angels: 23 musicians, and a further eight with torch, candle holders, sheet music, song

book and Advent star, praying or suspended. And many more imaginative variations were to join them. Grete Wendt put Eleven Dot Angels on the top of music boxes, placed them inside moons and stars as Christmas tree decorations, even made them into Easter figurines with patterned eggs and, as if they were children at play, put them on a seesaw, a sleigh and skis. And even after the death of this great designer, new Eleven Dot Angels were and are still being added to this day. So, for example, the collection has been extended to include suspended angels as Christmas tree decorations and the exclusive Gold Edition. The angels in the “White Timbre” range of 2015 are both a modern interpretation of the Eleven Dot Angels and equally an homage to their designer. In everything it does Wendt & Kühn always treats its unique treasury of angels and figurines with the utmost care. The faithful reproduction of its original designs remains the workshops’ highest priority. As is giving careful consideration to Grete Wendt’s creative principles when extending the angel collection.

AN ADVERTISMENT FROM 1949 shows just how internationally widespread and popular the Eleven Dot Angels had become: The New Yorker department store “Macy’s” used angels from Grünhainichen for its Christmas campaign.

About 500 variations of Eleven Dot Angels have been created to date. What an overwhelming sight it would be to see them altogether in a single big reference book. Who knows, perhaps one day a big angel book will actually be published containing all the angels we know of that have been manufactured at the Grünhainichen workshops.

ON CONSTANCY AND FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS

There is no doubt that the Eleven Dot Angels are still just the same as they were at the very beginning. Their form and coloration testify to a constancy that is second to none. And yet, there are a few subtle changes that have been introduced over the years, without affecting the basic shape of the angels. So, for example, it was necessary to review our use of other materials. The angels’ wings were originally made of wood, but as these delicate parts were prone to breaking, plastic wings were introduced from 1955/56, guaranteeing robust wingbeats. The

shape and color of individual instruments have also changed slightly over time. Often, more details have been added – as in the Angels with Cello and Double Bass. The bridge of the instruments was originally just a simple painted cardboard strip, which was soon replaced with a small strip of wood. When it was reworked in 1949, it was given a more plastic and realistic shape. Further developments have been made to the paintwork, and since then a fine brush has been used to paint wafer-thin strings on the bridge, and the characteristic F-holes are now painted onto the body of the instrument with a steady hand. A scroll has also been added to the top of the neck. Small but subtle changes, that represent a love of detail in every figurine.

One change that was made to the Angel with Harp around 1955 gives us something to smile about. For 30 years the angel held its instrument with the long side against its body. Something that must have confused many a harpist, as the instrument is actually played the other way round.

I was five years old when I received my first Eleven Dot Angel, which is almost 70 years ago. My favorite angel is the very first one that I received from my adult German neighbor; it had been hers when she was a little girl. My neighbor ended up passing along five other angels to me, and I cherished them. However, despite saving my allowance money to add to my collection, I never saw a place to buy them until I became an adult and visited Germany myself for the first time. I quickly added many more little treasured angels to my orchestra, along with Christmas ornaments and music boxes, and I ultimately received the orchestra stand from my husband many years later to display my wonderfully robust collection. I’ve loved sharing the story of my angels with friends who we have hosted in our house.

D. FISS, RIVERSIDE, CT, USA

FOR HER “ANGEL MOUNTAIN WITH MADONNA” , shown here in the 1937 catalog, Grete Wendt was awarded the Grand Prix and a gold medal. This sparked enthusiasm for the green-winged angels around the world, bringing them even more international recognition. This catalog picture shows the Eleven Dot Angels for the first time on star-shaped bases – something we have returned to in the design of our Anniversary Trio (page 19).

ANGEL

CELEBRITY ADMIRERS

My favorite angel is the angel carrying the Bundt cake, as in my family we always have a cake like that for every birthday. This was a tradition introduced by my husband – this cake was an absolute must when he was growing up. After 44 years together he died suddenly and completely unexpectedly in October 2015. When the grief had subsided and we were starting to get back to normal, our Wendt & Kühn retailer called to discuss an order. Unbeknownst to us, my husband had ordered the Eleven Dot Angel with the birthday cake and had planned to give it to me as a gift. The angel became my most emotional gift at Christmas 2017. I have so many special memories associated with this angel that it has now become my favorite angel. And since then he has joined the birthday cake on every birthday table.

Grete Wendt did not take it amiss that the design of the instruments was sometimes rather simplified and that the stance of the angels playing them sometimes deviated from that of human musicians. And major celebrities from the world of music didn’t seem to mind either. Quite the contrary: Admirers of their celestial colleagues in the angel orchestra included the internationally acclaimed conductor Kurt Masur, Cantor of the famous Dresdner Kreuzchor Rudolf Mauersberger, and Ottmar Suitner, formally Music Director at the Berlin State Opera. He expressed his admiration for the Eleven Dot Angels in a letter he wrote to Olly Wendt on May 27, 1982: “Dear Madam, I enjoyed very happy birthday celebrations in Vienna and Berlin. One of the best surprises was certainly the wonderful angel concert presided over by the Madonna figurine that I received as a gift from my close colleagues at the Berlin State Opera. I wish to congratulate you that the company managed by your son produces something that is at the same time both enchanting and moving, and I thank you for it from the bottom of my heart.” The doctor, musicologist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Albert Schweitzer was no less of a fan. He had an Angel Mountain from Grünhainichen in his hospital in Lambaréné in the central African country Gabon.

THE SECRET

Today the Eleven Dot Angels are still made by hand employing the finest craftsmanship, just as they were 100 years ago. The body of the

angel is made up of 14 wooden components –mostly lime, beech and maple. Further parts are added for the instruments or other accessories. Hard edges are sanded down, the raw wood is dipped in paint to give it a white undercoat and in the paint shop the craftswomen give the angels their beautiful faces. And yet there is more to it than the mere assembly, gluing and painting of wooden components. It is their childlike appearance that touches the heart of the viewer. It is the harmony, effortless ease and cheerfulness that the angels project with their gentle smiles. It is the vitality, movement and dynamism inherent in the figurines. Their creator Grete Wendt breathed a magic into them that has been preserved right up to this day. And created a secret that we shall probably never fully understand.

A DAZZLING ANNIVERSARY

And finally, only one question remains: What do you give a one-hundred-year-old for their birthday who “already has everything”? Who can look back at a long and fruitful life and the countless times they have brought a happy smile to the lips of those around them, and perhaps brought a bit of heaven to earth… Not an easy undertaking, and yet we have found a “gift” that is worthy of this special occasion: a new edition of the first three Eleven Dot Angels which Grete Wendt designed in the fall of 1923. We have given them a dazzling make-over in which we have literally brought down the stars from the sky. The angels with torch, violin and small trumpet now stand on star-shaped bases plated in 24-karat gold. Something beautifully symbolic, for stars stand

K. HÜFNER, BLANKENBURG, GERMANY

SKETCH OF THE SEATED ANGEL WITH ZITHER (designed around 1955) and detailed drawings of the violin from the side and above (designed 1923).

for hopes, dreams and wishes. And they go all the way back to the early history of the Eleven Dot Angels. An illustration in the 1937 catalog (photo on page 17) shows an Angel Mountain almost completely covered with angels on star-shaped bases. A beautiful sight! How this particular variation on the design came about and when it was actually put on sale is currently unclear. The three anniversary angels come as a

set and will be produced exclusively in 2023 –in a strictly limited edition of 5,555 sets. A special numbered label on the underside of the base will carry the 100th anniversary date. Secured in high-quality packaging featuring a clever “stage”, the three angels will make their way safely to enthusiasts all over the world, to enchant them with starlight and grace. Just as Grete Wendt originally intended.

SPECIAL EXHIBITION

The current exhibition at Wendt & Kühn World in Grünhainichen is all about the birthday angels. The “100 Years of the Eleven Dot Angels: Design – Love – Secrets” exhibition transports us into the world of these heavenly creatures. The angels take visitors back to their origins, reveal the odd insight or two and invite them on a journey around the world. More than 250 Eleven Dot Angels, including some genuinely rare examples, fill the glass cabinets and display cases. Historic drawings, photographs, press articles and other documents from the company’s archives trace the life of the Eleven Dot Angels in words and pictures. Personal stories about our collectors’ favorite angels give us insights into the world of their fans and testify to the gift of the Eleven Dot Angels to touch people’s hearts. A hands-on activity for visitors, both young and old, enables them to literally get up close and personal with the angels. The exhibition is open until the end of 2024 at Wendt & Kühn World in Grünhainichen, daily from 10am to 5pm. Admission free.

My husband gave me the Globetrotter as a gift when we visited you in Grünhainichen. We travel a lot on our vacations. But sadly this is becoming more difficult, as neither of us walks as well as we used to. But the angel with the suitcase keeps alive the memories of our wonderful travels. I collect the Gold Editions and the angel musicians and always get them out at Christmas – instead of a Christmas tree. The angels all remind us of the places where we bought them. But our fondest memories are always linked to the Globetrotter from Grünhainichen.

T. WIGGERS, ALMELO, THE NETHERLANDS

TRIO OF ANNIVERSARY ANGELS, ON GOLD-PLATED STAR-SHAPED BASES (2.25" and 3.25") 650/SET2023/LE

O Christmas Tree ... O Christmas Tree,

The Christmas tree: serenaded affectionately in the famous Christmas song, recalled in countless poems, immortalized in paintings and loved from the bottom of our hearts. Few symbols are so closely associated with Christmas as the spruce and that is a good reason for taking a closer look at this evergreen tree and its decorations in the Wendt & Kühn collection.

The Grünhainichen Angels® first appeared on a decorated tree in the mid-1920s – with a yellow star, comet, comet tail and moon. But real angels can also fly on their own! The first suspended angel with small trumpet appeared around 1925/26, and since 2008 15 more angels with melodious instruments have joined the large Christmas tree orchestra. Green-winged angels on clips have also settled down on evergreen branches since 2002, securely but simply attached.

In addition to the Grünhainichen Angels®, the Marguerite Angels are also happy to take their place on the branches of a Christmas tree. The first appeared in a supplement to the 1933/1934 catalog, as Christmas tree decorations. Back then, two Marguerite Angels sat on a small wooden base with a metal clip. Since the 1930s, “small suspended angels” on gold threads, which were designed by Olly Wendt between 1935

and 1937, have become an additional attraction. Many years later, but certainly prior to 1958, she had the idea of placing the Marguerite Angels inside a delicate gold ring. These lovable celestial beings seem to defy gravity as they hang suspended, holding gifts, instruments and candles in their tiny hands. The angels of both Olly and Grete Wendt complement each other beautifully in this way, and give us a range of tree decorations that brings wonder and harmony to the Christmas tree, year after year.

WENDT FAMILY CHRISTMAS TREES

Given so much love for Christmas trees and their decorations, we are bound to ask: How did the Wendt family decorate their own Christmas tree? A look at our comprehensive archives including countless historic family photos reveals that our company founder Grete Wendt decorated her tree with white candles and wooden decorations that she and her friends from her student days in Dresden had designed themselves. Olly Wendt’s tree by contrast glittered in brilliant gold, lit with red wax candles. Rauschgold figurines with their pleated foil dresses provided the perfect accompaniment to the hand crafted decorations made by her three grandchildren. One of these is Claudia Baer, née Wendt, who together with her brother Florian is the third generation of the family to lead the company. For Claudia, decorating the tree is one of her favorite rituals at Christmas. “Our Christmas tree decorations are a colorful mix of old and new, traditional and modern, bought and homemade – even some made by me as a child. Even though handicrafts have never been one of my strengths, my grandma Olly always found a nice place for my ‘works of art’. And today they are still to be found hanging on our tree – right next to the decorations made by both my daughters,” she tells us. “Swinging on the branches you will also find a grandiose Rauschgold angel, a red and blue tin horse and a colorful beaded star from South

America. And of course a number of Wendt & Kühn angels –originally gifts from my grandma Olly. To an outsider our tree might appear rather ‘mad’, but for us every decoration contains a special memory.”

RAISING A SMILE

But how on earth is it that people from all over the world come to decorate their Christmas trees with Wendt & Kühn angels today? It’s all thanks to a happy coincidence. In the 1933 November edition of “Hans Kunterbunt”, the children’s supplement in the “Leipziger Neueste Nachrichten” newspaper, the following charming story appeared about the “creation” of Wendt & Kühn’s Christmas tree angels: a number of young angels had the idea of seating themselves on small moons, comets and the evening star to chat, sing and play the violin. They began to swing – “backwards and forwards, joking as they swung”. This loosened the golden eyelets on the stars in the sky, and they fell to earth. And then “A giant spruce caught them and held them fast in its branches”. There the wondrous guests were found by a wood carver who carried them home to his Christmas tree. Such luck for the young angels –and for all fans of Wendt & Kühn Christmas tree decorations.

The current collection of Christmas tree decorations by Wendt & Kühn can be found at www.wendt-kuehn.us under “Collection/Christmas Tree Decorations”.

A VIEW INTO THE GLUING SHOP, probably around the late 1920s. On the work table are Christmas tree angels in stars waiting to be glued together.

OLLY WENDT’S CHRISTMAS TREE was richly decorated. The essential ingredient: red wax candles. Photo from before 1973

LEAVING THE COLLECTION AT THE END OF THE YEAR | 2023

Farewell

The figurines shown here have been on sale through our retailers this year for the last time. 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, some of these items have already been completely bought up by our Wendt & Kühn specialist retailers. It is only through them that you will be able to find out whether they are still available.

MARGUERITE ANGEL, SITTING, WITH JUMPING JACK (1,5")

634/70/19

MARGUERITE

(1,5")

634/70/20

634/70/21

DECIDUOUS

5302/9

641/N/5

641/N/6

IMPRINT eleven dot post · 7 th Edition · Grünhainichen, Germany, August 2023

634/Set/1

Publisher: Wendt & Kühn KG, Chemnitzer Straße 40, 09579 Grünhainichen, Germany, Telephone +49 37294 86 286, info@wendt-kuehn.de, www.wendt-kuehn.us

Chief Editors, legally responsible for content: Claudia Baer, Thomas Rost, Wendt & Kühn · Editors: Lena Sabotta, Thomas Rost, Wendt & Kühn; Dr. Sylva Sternkopf (20, 21) · Design: schech.net | Strategie. Kommunikation. Design. Translation: Dr. Sternkopf media group · Photography: Lucie Eisenmann (1, 4), Mirko Hertel (2, 23), Wendt & Kühn (3, 6-13, 15-19, 22), Archiv Wendt & Kühn KG (5, 14, 16-18, 21), ruemmlerfotografie (5), brennerdesign (20), Marcus Heilscher (postcard) · Printed by: Druckerei Gutermuth, Grünhainichen, Germany

ANGEL, SITTING, WITH SANTA’S BOOT

MARGUERITE ANGEL, SITTING, WITH LITTLE HORSEMAN (1,5")

GIRL WITH WREATH (2.75")

BOY WITH FLOWER (2.75")

SET DISPLAY SHELF WITH MARGUERITE ANGELS, 7 FIGURINES (Dimension Package 5 x 10.25 x 20.5")

TREE, UNPAINTED (6.25")