Biography of Gotz Doll Artist HILDEGARD GUNZEL

***Please note: this article is currently a work in progress and is not complete. Individual doll links (shown in red), especially handcrafted, will continue to be added and created.***

*Hildegard Günzel* is one of the most popular, widely recognized, world renown doll artisans in the world.2 She has collaborated with Gotz on several lines since the debut of her 2001 ***KINDERLAND*** Collection. She has designed some dolls for collections such as ***BEATRIX POTTER,*** the Gotz *STIEFF* Collection, "*HANNAH,*" and "*HAPPY KIDZ*" just to name a few. You can learn the most about this amazing doll artist on her own personal website: https://www.hildegardguenzel.com/en/about/

## About the Doll Artist

Hildegard Gunzel was born in 1945 in Tauberbischofsheim.3 Per the 2003 collection catalog, "*Hildegard* graduated from the German Master School for Fashion Design in Munich" and began her career as a designer in the fashion and jewelry industry.1 She sculpted her first doll in 1972.2 In 1980, she began to sculpt porcelain dolls which were then covered with a wax overcoat.3 Gotz describes her collection in their statement, "[Hildgard's] dolls enchant with their romantic styles in soft colors adorned with luxurious details."2

*Hildegard* introduced her first artist doll collection in 2001; her Artist Dolls have detailed costumes that are made from only the finest fabrics and most luxurious materials available.1 *Hildegard* has received international recognition and awards for her designs, including the 2002 DOTY "Public's Choice Award" for HOLLY, one of the first dolls introduced in her 2002 Gotz Artist Doll Collection.1 Hildegard is also a published author; her works include "*PUPPENTRÄUME*" or "*DOLL'S DREAMS*" (1994?) and "ENCHANTED JOURNEY" (1997).3

## *Inspirations*

Please provide some inspirations to the doll artist, here.

## *Artist Quotes*

Please provide direct artist quotes, here.

## Different Doll Body Types

There are several different "types" of dolls in Hildegard Gunzel's collection. Here are just some examples of the different types of doll bodies you may see.

2002CONSTANCEArticulation.jpgThis is a WEICHKÖRPERPUPPE (fully posable, sitting) doll; she features a vinyl breastplate with faux suede doll torso. Her neck/head is jointed and her upper arms and hips contain internal armature which makes her fully posable yet unable to maintain a standing position (as her knees are sculpted "bent").This is a WEICHKÖRPERPUPPE, fully posable, soft-bodied, vinyl breastplate doll with faux suede torso.This VINYLKÖRPER, or vinyl body doll, is made of rigid vinyl; it is multi-articulated with a strung neck and shoulders; the hips are secured via a flange & socket articulation mechanism.This WEICHBABY is a soft-bodied, non-articulated doll with a weighted cloth doll torso and 3/4 vinyl arms and legs.
## Index of Gotz Collections

The following tables and galleries contain indexes **by year** of *Hildegard Gunzel's* artist dolls for *Götz*. Simply click on a purple hyperlink (for example, the doll's name) to view that doll's specific, individual article (which contains more detailed information about that doll).

* To view the ***KINDERLAND Collection*** by Hildegard Gunzel, *please click here.*
* To view the ***BEATRIX POTTER COLLECTION*** (which features some dolls with facial sculpts designed by Hildegard Gunzel, amongst other doll artists), *please click here.*
* To view the ***Made for STEIFF by Götz Collection*** (which also features some dolls with facial sculpts designed by Hildegard Gunzel, amongst other doll artists), *please click here.*

Important Notes: This information has been extensively researched and information assembled into tables ***to the absolute best of my knowledge.***

* **Not all of the handcrafted dolls have been entered on this wiki; dolls will continue to be added as they are indexed and their facial mold designers identified.**
* The best information comes directly from yearly Gotz catalogs, which show the cataloguing information and a photo of the doll available for purchase for each specific year. When catalog photos are unavailable, doll ID tags can provide helpful (but incomplete) cataloguing information (as some dolls, with a single catalog code number, can be sold for multiple years).
* Dolls with "QUALITY LABEL" hangtags have been classified as "ARTIST DOLLS."
* Dolls with hangtags labelling them as "COLLECTOR'S EDITIONS" have been classified as "ARTIST DOLLS."
* Dolls with "QUALITY LABEL, COLLECTOR DOLL, HANDCRAFTED NUMBERED ARTIST DESIGN" hangtags have been classified as "HANDCRAFTED DOLLS."

2001\* COLLECTION INDEX
 FABIENNE | 58cm/21.5 inches
(Torso Marking?)

*\*Collection index is incomplete.*

2001 ISABELL2001 FABIENNE

*\*Collection index may be incomplete.*

2002 CONSTANCE2002 JULIET2002 LESLIE2002 JOY (left) with PIA (right)2002 HOLLY2002 ANNA-MARIA (with STEIFF bear)2002 KATINKA2002 MARCELINA2002 KATHERINE RUTH2002 TIFFANY2002 CLARICE2002 MEL

*\*Collection index may be incomplete.*

*\*\*\*The designer of this doll is still unconfirmed; it may not have been designed by HILDEGARD GUNZEL.*

2003 MARITA (in pink)2003 MARITA (in blue)2003 VICTORIA (in cream)2003 VICTORIA (in pink)2003 LILIBETH2003 APRIL2003 JASMINE2003 LARA - SPRING from SEASONS2003 ROSALIE - SUMMER from SEASONS2003 ALICIA - AUTUMN from SEASONS2003 WINTER EMOTIONS - SEASONS2003 NOELLE2003 JOLIE2003 SARA2003 WHITE ROSE2003 PIA2003 TIA2003 FLORENTINE2003 NICOLA2003 MARTHA CAMPBELL2003 NELE & ANTON (her Steiff bear)2003 YVETTE2003 FRANIA2003 MADELEINE2003 CLAIRE from Swan Lake

*\*Collection index may be incomplete.*

2004 APRIL2004 MERIT2004 FLOWER GIRL/MAID & BASKET2004 TINA2004 LILAC2004 NELE & ANTON (her STEIFF bear)2004 ODILE ("BLACK SWAN" from Swan Lake)

\**Collection index may be incomplete.*

*\*\*Doll did not appear in yearly catalog.*

2005 SUSAN2005 ENGLISH ROSE2005 IDA2005 WEDDING DAY2005 MADCHEN AUS WIEN (Vienna) UND SEPP (the teddy bear) - GIRLS FROM EUROPE/AROUND THE WORLD Series2005 MADCHEN AUS MÜNCHEN (Munich) UND SEPP (the teddy bear) - GIRLS FROM EUROPE/AROUND THE WORLD Series2005 ERICH2005 CLAIRE - "SWEET DREAMS"

\**Collection index may be incomplete.*

2006 BABETTE2006 RESI2006 MAUSI2006 PÜPPI2006 MADCHEN AUS LONDON (London) MIT BAR (teddy bear) - AROUND THE World Series2006 MADCHEN AUS VENEDIG (Venice) MIT BAR (teddy bear) - AROUND THE WORLD Series

*\*Collection index may be incomplete.*

2007 MIA2007 BETTY2007 MAUSI2007 TRIXI2007 PÜPPI ROSA2007 LISA2007 BAVARIA GIRL - From the Series: GIRLS AND BEARS FROM AROUND EUROPE (London, Munich, Vienna)2007 LONDON GIRL - from series GIRLS AND BEARS AROUND EUROPE (London, Munich, Venice)2007 VENICE GIRL - from series GIRLS AND BEARS AROUND EUROPE (London, Munich, Venice)2007 VIENNA GIRL - AROUND THE WORLD Series2007 JASMIN2007 MEIKE2007 DEBBIE2007 PIA2007 LILI I (in polka dot and twin to PETER)2007 PETER (twin to LILI)2007 CLESESTE

\**Collection index may be incomplete.*

2008 IRMCHEN2008 SPROTTE2008 NELLI2008 NANETTE2008 LOUISA2008 SOPHIA2008 CHERISE2008 NATALIE2008 CHLOE2008 USCHI2008 SWEET SIXTEEN2008 ALYSSA2008 EMILY2008 AVA2008 MARIE2008 FLEUR2008 ASHLEY2008 MIA2008 MADISON

\**Collection index may be incomplete.*

2009 CORA2009 AMY2009 CHRISTINA2009 GLORIA2009 RIEKE2009 BARCHEN2009 LIESCHEN2009 LIEBCHEN2009 LOTTI2009 LILLI2009 PAUL2009 SOFIA (possibly INGRID?)2009 INGRID (possibly SOFIA?)2009 JULE2009 LEAH2009 TARA2009 LUISE2009 ZORA

\**Collection index may be incomplete.*

2010 DONNA2010 ROSE2010 CARLA2010 BABETTE2010 LIEBCHEN2010 SUSI2010 LOTTI2010 MARIECHEN2010 HANNCHEN2010 BARCHEN2010 LENI2010 LILLI2010 GIRL IN PINK2010 EMILY in a white Parisian dress

*\*Collection index may be incomplete.*

2011 EMILIA2011 CARLA2011 LORE2011 LIESE2011 KNUFFLECHEN2011 HANNCHEN2011 MARIECHEN2011 SUSI (shown in photo from 2010)2011 BIENCHEN

*\*Collection index may be incomplete.*

2012 FLEUR2012 ELOISE2012 LIBERTY2012 ROSE

*\*Collection index may be incomplete.*

2013 FLEUR2013 ADELE2013 PEARL2013 ROSE2013 BLANCHET2013 ELOISE2013 LIBERTY

*\*Collection index may be incomplete.*

2014 FLEUR2014 ADELE2014 PEARL2014 BLANCHET2014 NOELLE2014 BABY BLEU

## References

1. *Collection 2003. Collection 2003,* Emil Patzschke GmbH & Co. KG, 2003.
2. This information can be found/comes directly from the 2014 Götz catalog.
3. This information comes from a BIGGIDUR® brochure.

### Outside Sources

* Some images used in this article are copyright of their original owner. Photos serve an important purpose: they allow collectors/sellers/buyers to see a specific doll (ex. who is who and what comes with what, etc.). It is not the intention of FOR THE LOVE OF GOTZ WIKI to use photos without permission; whenever possible, photo credit is provided (in the description/image at upload) and real-life photos are only used whenever catalog photos are absent.
* Babiki.ru contains some helpful information and catalog photos.
* Dollery.com, which also sells dolls on the secondary market, also contains some helpful identification and cataloguing information and photos.