Collection

Hildegard Gunzel

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.

Producing a porcelain doll with a wax finish gave the doll a much more delicate appearance and soft expression, Gunzel thought. She also felt that that a wax-finished doll didn’t seem as cold as an ordinary porcelain doll. This revolutionary concept is also thought to protect the delicate porcelain of the doll and prevent damages from occurring as often as with traditional porcelain dolls. All of Hildegard Gunzel’s precious creations are all handmade in Germany and are noted for their detail, hand-blown glass eyes, and their illustriously unique finish.

Ms. Gunzel celebrated her twenty-fifth anniversary of doll making in 1996; this was also the year in which she introduced her line of distinctive teddy bears. These bears, comprised of a delicate blend of cashmere and mohair, were also handmade and limited to 199 completed bears.

Ms. Gunzel also had a knack for writing, it seemed, as she published several books on the art of doll making. Such titles as, Enchanted Journey and The Art of Making Wax Dolls began publication in 1987.

The year 2007 brought about the 35th anniversary of Hildegard Gunzel’s outstanding artistry with her dolls, as well as the tenth anniversary of her teddy bear production.

Hildegard Gunzel currently resides in Durmersheim, West Germany.