Collection

Götz Puppenfabrik (Götz Dolls, Inc.)

Since 1950, when Marianne and Franz Götz founded Götz Puppenfabrik in Rodental. The first dolls were made of paper mache and were crafted with the help of five family members and sold directly to the public by Franz Götz. Within a short period of time, the regional family factory developed into one of the leading doll manufacturers in the world

Nearing their tenth anniversary in 1957, Götz Puppenfabrik began their production of vinyl dolls. This is the same production method used currently by the company. Continuing into the 60s, 1964 brought about the first artist doll in the form of a Sasha Morgenthaler reproduction. This was an essential turning point for the Götz company, as it would lead to many more artist dolls in the years to come.

The 1980s were a time of growth and change for all industries including the Götz company. Götz increased their number of employees to 150, and then soon to 350 worldwide. This growth continued throughout the decade and in 1987 Götz established a worldwide subsidiary in the United States in Balwinsville, NY. This worldwide distribution was continued on in 1990 when a joint venture in Budapest/Hungary was founded. With such speed and strength, Götz Puppenfabrik continued to thrive and a shift of power was made in 1999 when the second generation of the Götz family, Anke Götz-Beyer and her husband Uwe Beyer took over the company management.

Götz dolls have received numerous awards and recognitions. The extensive list of accolaides includes the Oppenhein PLatinum Award, the NAPPA award, and the DOTY award in the United States, as well as the "Spiel Gut" and Gläsemer Feenstab in Germany.

Götz Doll Artists

Hildegard Günzel

Hildegard Gunzel was born in Tauberbischofsheim, Germany in 1945. She attended and completed her studies at the Deutshe Meisterschule für Modedesign (German School for Fashion Design) in Munich. Before becoming a master doll artist, Hildegard Gunzel worked as a designer in the fashion and jewelry industry. Little did she know, however, that when she began making dolls as a hobby in 1972, she was beginning something truly amazing. By 1980, Gunzel’s hobby had become a career. She was to be known as a pioneer in the porcelain doll industry, as she was one of the first doll artists in Europe as well as the first to introduce the wax-over-porcelain concept to the doll-making world. Whilst her own creations are porcelain, Hildegard Gunzel designs vinyl dolls for the Götz Company.

Susi Eimer

In 1994, artist Susi Eimer joined the power house of doll making known as Götz. Born in Munich in in 1957, Susi Eimer is a self-taught sculpter. As an artist, Susi Eimer expresses herself though her "little people" and draws inspiration from quiet, solitude, classical music, the sun, her horses, and the sea. Her "Children of the Forest" collection reflects this wonder of nature and more. Eimer's original dolls are done in Porcelain, however she now works predominantly in vinyl.

Joke Grobben

Joke Grobben was born in The Hague, Netherlands in 1945. A student of sculpturein both The Hague and Florence, Italy, Joke was asked to sculpt o portrait of a friend's child. This launched her careeras a doll artist. Joke Grobben's dolls inspore both collectors and doll artists everywhere . For Joke Grobben, making doll-children of the world is "idland refuge in the sea." Joke Grobben feels that one of her greatest achievments was being asked to work Götz with in 1993.

Tara Heath

Born in England in 1974, Tara Heath is now a full-time resident of the United States. Her parents—both doll artists— supported her childhood talent for sculpting. Tara Heath's inspiration for many of her dolls comes from children of the world. Her favorite model, however, is her little daughter, Lily. Tara's original works are made in porcelain and her first collection for Götz was completed in 1995.