Basically, the sculptures are produced in traditional craftsmen's workshops in Germany, relying on one of two different manufacturing processes: rotational moulding or injection moulding.
Rotational moulding
This production method is used for most of Ottmar Hörl's well-known sculptures. Taking several weeks, the complex process involves a copper mould to be made before the first PVC figure can be manufactured. The mould is slowly rotated in a furnace chamber causing the PVC to disperse and stick to the hot walls of the mould. The PVC coagulates and thickens. During the cooling phase, skilled craftsmen manually rework the hollow sculpture thus produced, creating serial, yet unique items in this manner.
Injection moulding
Injection moulding is used for all figures made of soft PVC, such as the Sponti to go, the pocket penguin, or the avant-garde snail. In contrast to rotational moulding, the method yields solid figures in fully coloured plastic material. The mould used consists of two halves forming a cavity into which the melted soft PVC granules are fed. Due to the nature of the tools employed, the sculptures typically have a slight seam. When moulding is completed, the sculptures are given a finish, e.g. varnishing, by hand.
All sculptures are handmade in craftsmen's workshops located in the south of Germany. The material used also comes from Germany and is subject to regular quality testing.
Our sculptures are machine-made, but to a large extent also manufactured by hand. In some cases, there may therefore be slight deviations regarding the details. We produce serial individual pieces, which makes up the special nature of the works of art. The artist has approved the objects as they are. Any irregularities do not constitute a defect and shall therefore not be considered a cause for complaint.
All the sculptures are made of robust, non-toxic plastic material. They are suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Depending on the extent to which the sculptures are exposed to natural climatic conditions, they will show traces of weathering over time, as is common for any other material. Please note that plastic materials are not designed to last as long as, for instance, stone or metal. For lasting colour intensity, we recommend installing the figures in a sheltered place, and avoiding exposure to permanent sunlight. The brilliance of gold and silver-coloured sculptures in particular will be better preserved in this way. Please note that the UV protective colours used slow down the weathering process of the colours to a considerable extent but cannot stop it permanently. Furthermore, we offer part of our range with additional UV protection.
You may generally drill a hole in the base of the sculptures. Using a substructure, e.g. made of metal or wood, you may anchor, and secure, your sculpture directly in the ground, on the roof, or railing. This is what the Ottmar Hörl team does when arranging them for the art installations and fixing them in the ground. Please note that the small opening in the base of the figure is due to the production process and is not suitable for drilling.
Customary mild neutral cleaning agents as well as soft cloths and sponges are suitable for removing dust and dirt.
All the sculptures created by Ottmar Hörl carry a visible "HÖRL" stamp engraved at the bottom of the figure. On top of that, copies from the limited and signed edition of the sculptures are available. Signed figures carry a signature number which indicates that they are part of a limited edition, as well as Ottmar Hörl's original signature and the current year written on the smooth bottom surface in wiping-proof and water-resistant colour.
Customers that have not registered may pay using PayPal or by cash in advance (advance bank transfer). Three to four business days after receipt of payment, the items ordered will be ready for dispatch. Registered customers can also order by invoice (for orders within Germany). Unfortunately, we do not accept payments by credit card.
If you wish to order tax-free from other European countries, please provide us with your valid VAT ID number. Please make sure that this number has also been registered for the billing address you have given us. Otherwise we cannot send your order tax-free. Unfortunately, we cannot refund VAT; this also applies to orders from outside the EU.
Items are dispatched using GLS services for deliveries within the EU and shipments to Switzerland. Deliveries within Germany run one to two business days, within the EU two to four business days. All non-EU countries are served by DHL (except for Switzerland). Shipping times may vary depending on the destination from 12 to 15 business days. Depending on the current restrictions, there may also be significantly longer runtimes.
Please note that DHL shipment tracking for non-EU countries often does not show a new scan for days during the transit time of the package between the countries. Tracking is only updated when the package has arrived in the destination country.
If you require guaranteed delivery within 24 hours, we can offer you express delivery by GLS within Germany (no islands) at a surcharge of EUR 20.00 per package (bulky goods excluded). Please contact us before placing your order at shop@ottmarhoerl.de .
Customers from the US can order original sculptures by Ottmar Hörl directly from our partner, Musart Boutique in Florida and profit from better shipping conditions.
View the detailed list of shipping costs here.
Should you wish to have the colour of your sculpture reworked against payment, please do not hesitate to contact us. To assess the condition of your sculpture, please send us photos of the colour condition when contacting us. We will then immediately let you know whether we can restore the sculpture.
If you wish to carry out rework/modifications yourself, please note that we cannot accept any liability for rework that is not carried out by us.
If you wish to carry out rework/modifications yourself, any warranty or liability claims for such figures shall lapse.
Please use a high-quality PVC glue if you need to repair broken parts, as well as suitable, PVC-compatible paint (car paint) to rework the colours of your figure. Since our manufacturers do not use RAL or Pantone colours but work with their own colours, we are unfortunately unable to give you any information about exact RAL or Pantone colour shades.
In general, you are welcome to collect your sculpture from our shop in person. Please note that we are an online mail order company and do not have a showroom where sculptures are displayed for viewing. Please contact us in advance to arrange a collection date so that we may prepare your order for you. Unfortunately, you may only purchase from us on site if you pay in cash or on account (for customers within Germany). You can find us here:
Collection address:
Ottmar Hörl Online-Shop
Urpharer Weg 8
97877 Wertheim (Dietenhan)
Germany
Opening hours:
Mon – Thurs 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Fri 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
We have our sculptures manufactured in German family businesses where the production quantities are limited by the size of the company. As a result, we unfortunately have to limit the order limit for some sculptures from time to time.
Please understand that we can only supply our sculptures to selected resellers. You are welcome to send us your request at info@ottmarhoerl.de. Please find an overview of all figures available and some custom-made sculptures in our brochure, which you can download in our download area by clicking here.
If you would like to request a quote for other works by Ottmar Hörl, or are interested in figures from installations, please write to us at info@ottmarhoerl.de and we will send you a quote as soon as possible.
Should you wish to store your sculptures for a longer period of time, please make sure to keep them at room temperature in the original open plastic bag.
Delivery times are usually three to four business days from receipt of order to handover of the order to our shipping service provider. Please include a note indicating urgent orders so that we can prioritise them accordingly. We will also be very happy to schedule desired dates for you as far as possible. For signed sculptures, shipping may take a little longer.
