German MMM 1300/60 Doll - Schwalm Regional Costume - 53 cm

Large-scale collectible doll produced by the German manufacturer Max Maier München (MMM), identified by the 1300/60 mark on the neck.

Object History: This piece represents the artisanal toy tradition of post-war West Germany. The MMM firm was noted for its use of thermoplastic materials and the fidelity in reproducing European folk costumes. The doll wears the regional costume of Schwalm (Hesse), characterized by the red headpiece called 'Betzel', indicative of social status and geographic origin.

Features and Details:
- Period: 1950s.
- Technique and Style: Hard plastic/celluloid body with functional joints, sleep eyes, and synthetic hair.
- Size: Height of 53 cm (20.8 inches).
- Material: Celluloid, cotton, bobbin lace, and plastic beads.
- Clothing: Ensemble composed of four layered skirts, lace blouse, white embroidered apron, stockings with red garters, and black silk ribbons.
- Condition: Full conservation of original clothing. Aging wear observed on silk ribbons and a greenish tint in the synthetic hair, typical of chromatic degradation in polymers of that era.

Value and Application: High-interest object for collectors of European ethnography, 20th-century toy historians, and mid-century style interior decorators.