Philipp Griebel

In 1874, Philipp Griebel, a trained porcelain maker and moulder of animals and animal heads founded his terracotta factory in Graefenroda, a small town in Thuringia, Germany. Griebel's animal figures which were made for the house and garden were highly sought after and were admired by people all over the world, especially England and France.

It is said the first of his Garden Gnomes were made in 1880, dressed in rather robust clothing and the red cap - a sort of helmet  similar in style to what the local miners were using at the time.  The Gnome figures sold well and were soon being exported to all parts of the World.  Philipp Griebel died 1893.