This original Goebel statue is perhaps our most unique offering yet. This piece, identified on its base as "L.D. 56", was originally modeled in 1941 by Goebel's master sculptor, Arthur Möller. It measures approximately 13 inches tall and has a 6 inch by 6 inch base, with the figure, itself, extending beyond the base just slightly. Beneath the "L.D. 56" marking is a crown over an interlaced "WG", denoting the company's founder, William Goebel. This particular marking is Goebel's earliest trademark, utilized from 1934 to 1950. A current representative from Goebel confirmed that this particular artwork was modeled in 1941 and "discontinued" in 1960, meaning all original molds were destroyed by that time, however production certainly ceased during the war. This statue exemplifies an immense attention to detail, down to the gas mask cannister's strap slipping behind the scalloped pocket of the subject's field tunic. This artwork was crafted in stages and consists of numerous individual pieces eventually fired together (helmet, stielhandgranate, gas mask cannister, bayonet, etc.) and, as such, stable cracks have developed at the points where two separate pieces come together (the seat of the pants and the rock upon which the subject is sitting, the right knee on the ground, the back of the neck, etc.). Although terracotta is notoriously fragile, the piece is still quite stable. This may very likely be the only known surviving example, making it worthy of a focal point in a well-established collection.