Wagner
& Apel (R) Collectors Resources
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The company now known as Wagner &
Apel was founded in 1877 as Kuch & Company. Bernhard Wagner was one of their
first employees, and in 1883, he purchased a stake in the organization and became
a partner. Eighteen years later, in 1901, Bernhard Wagner joined forces with Anton
Apel and Bernhard Apel to purchase the rest of Kuch & Company. They renamed the
company Wagner & Apel 1877, and it has borne that name ever since.
Their
most popular figurines at the turn of the century were based on the drawings of two
popular children's book illustrators of the time, Hilla Peyk and Bertram -- as sculpted
by the renowned German modeler, Eugen Dotterweich. A century later, these same figurines
are still loved by Wagner & Apel 1877 customers!
About the same time,
the railroads came to Lippelsdorf and W&A's markets began to expand. This enabled
them to sell their figurines across Germany, Scandinavia, England, France, and Switzerland,
and the business began to prosper. World War II brought significant changes to Wagner
& Apel. Since Lippelsdorf was located in East Germany, these foreign markets
were not available after the war ended, and eventually, Wagner & Apel 1877 became
state-owned. Rather than give up their heritage, the Wagner & Apel family members
stayed with the company as employees, and continued to refine their skills as porcelain
artisans. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in November, 1989, Bernhard Wagner's
heirs were able to regain ownership of their family business.
Now, three of
the family members lead the company:
Mr. Hans Seibert, husband of Bernhard's
great granddaughter, is W&A's General Manager. Mrs. Marika Rosenbusch, Bernhard's
great-great granddaughter, is W&A's Sales Manager. Mrs. Regina Kästner, Bernhard's
great-great granddaughter,
is W&A's Art director.
Together, they
are bringing W&A figurines back to the world markets after a 60 year absence,
and writing a "new millennium" chapter in the W&A history book.
(C) CollectorsResources.com
1999