Luel Restoration Studio

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In general, conservation is usually the work antiquities of museums and archaeological digs. Conservators do work on repairs, but they primarily focus on documentation, research, and repair methodology that does not obviously alter the item’s appearance.

Ceramic restoration can employ all of the above, but the emphasis is on making invisible repairs. Luel Restoration Studio offers the highest quality invisible and museum-style ceramic repair, restoration and conservation.

Restoration involves sculpting missing parts and retouching. However, an experienced and ethical ceramic restorer always uses the conservation method to strengthen objects, remove accumulations of old repairs that may injure the object, and works with only those materials that won’t damage the object’s substance, thus preserving and protecting it for future generations.

Luel Restoration Studio — Home 

Luel Restoration Studio — Home  

Your porcelain plate or antique breaks into several pieces … what to do?! Do not glue it yourself! Some of the most irreparable harm for a ceramic or porcelain repair is done by the owner.

You should be aware that some glues are impossible to remove. This make repair by Luel Restoration Studio difficult or impossible.

Different ceramic materials need different mending materials. Each repair situation calls for its own unique glue or mending material that can only be decided on by our experienced artist.

We use an incredible variety of materials, equipment and techniques that are dependant on the specific repair needed. Removing and repairing substandard gluing adds a significant amount of time, effort, and difficulty to the porcelain restoration process.

Luel Restoration Studio — Home 

Luel Restoration Studio — Home  

A subject close to our hearts is of course, porcelain, and “A Cup of Light,” is a great novel written around the topic of the intricacies of Chinese porcelain and the world of imitators and smugglers. It’s not a new book, published in 2003, but you may know the author, Nicole Mones, by her first book, “Lost in Translation,” which was made into the movie of the same name.

This is a fictional tale of a specialist in Chinese porcelain for a Sotheby’s-like art dealer who flies to Beijing to appraise a treasure trove of imperial porcelain pots secretly offered for sale by a Chinese businessman.

It’s an interesting read with so much Chinese porcelain art history being such a huge part of the story with the author’s detailed descriptions of the process and the history of Chinese porcelain.

If you are interested in the modern art world or porcelain art history, this is a good read.

Luel Restoration Studio — Home 

Luel Restoration Studio — Home  

Putting aside the very real sentimental value of a special family Hummel figurine, we will focus here on the monetary value of a Hummel piece.

Of course, if you’re not sure what you have, you will need to determine if your Hummel figurine is authentic. The best is to take your piece to an expert, but for a quick primer in what to look for, we offer suggestions …

There are definite marks for identification to determine if your figurine, bell or plate is a genuine Hummel. Many years ago, Sister Hummel requested that her stamp of approval appear on every piece. Under the board of her convent, approvals are made to this day with her mark incised on every piece.

There is also a mold number incised on the bottom of each Hummel figurine at the factory.

Although the Goebel trademark has evolved over the years, there is the official Goebel trademark stamp on the bottom of every figurine.

Hummel figurines are highly sought after by collectors. Several pieces are valued in the hundreds or thousands of dollars each. Figurines such as “For Father,” “Little Goat Herder,” and “Going to Grandmas” are examples of the value of Hummel collectibles.

As with all collectibles and ceramic art, condition and rarity are important factors in the value. If you have a genuine piece that may be showing some age or may need a repair for a crack or chip, the ceramic repair will be a definite investment in the current or future value of the piece.

Luel Restoration Studio — Home 

Franz Goebel began making his porcelain in Germany in 1876. After being establishing the company in the porcelain industry, Goebel’s son expanded the products they offered, expanded their markets to include America, and changed the company name to W. Goebel Porzellanfabrik.

Fast forward to the 1930s with the world in growing turmoil, and the founding father, Franz Goebel, became interested in offering the world art that reflected the gentle innocence of childhood. Mr. Goebel was introduced to the artwork Franciscan Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel, who drew depictions of charming, country children for popular art cards.

Goebel contacted Sister Hummel with clay models based on her drawings. Sister Hummel and her convent, Convent of Siessen, granted exclusive rights to Goebel to produce ceramic figurines based on her artwork. She was consulted and had to approve each porcelain piece. They agreed that earthenware, pioneered by Goebel a decade earlier, would be the best suited medium for the Hummel figurine product line.

Sister Hummel worked personally with Goebel’s Master artists to create the figurines which were first introduced in 1935. Hummel and Goebel continued their business relationship Sister Hummel died an early death at age 37 in 1946. Her artistry is continued to this day with new Hummel pieces being produced as collectible items.