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Fantasía eye-shadow case (empty), shade "Azul La Habana" (Havana Blue) — gilt-metal casing

Object/Artifact

Empty gilt-metal cylindrical eye-shadow case (sombra para los ojos) of two-part swivel construction — push-on cap over a barrel/base — now heavily tarnished. The cap shows dense reddish-brown corrosion spotting over worn gilding; the base is a matte, abraded gold with a brighter collar at the cap/base join. The cap top bears an engraved Fantasía rose emblem. The base is labeled "AZUL LA HABANA". No product remains; the case is empty.

Fantasía eye-shadow case (empty), shade "Azul La Habana" (Havana Blue) — gilt-metal casing Fantasía eye-shadow case (empty), shade "Azul La Habana" (Havana Blue) — gilt-metal casing

2025.1.362

Kept by Gertrudis Caraballo Gálvez

Fantasía was the flagship makeup line of Cuba's nationalized perfumery-cosmetics industry. Cuba Material's catalog lists sombra para los ojos iridiscente Fantasía in two formats — a pressed powder (9 shades) and a metal-cased version ("casquillo metálico," 10 shades); this empty gilt tube is the metal-cased format, shade "Azul La Habana" (Havana Blue). A memorably strong blue Fantasía eye shadow is recalled by readers on Cuba Material. The engraved cap rose is the Fantasía brand emblem — consistent with the line's rose-themed identity (the award-winning Fantasía perfume was noted for a metallic-rose note) and reconciling the "golden flower" reported on the Fantasía lipstick cap earlier in this series.

The Cabrera Arús family collection

Gertrudis Caraballo Gálvez collecition

2025.1

MINIL

Cuba

Caribbean

Central America

Fantasía

Date: circa 1970s–1980s; tentative.

Engraving

cap

flower identifying the Fantasía brand

Label

bottom

AZUL LA HABANA

Spanish

BLUE HAVANA

Cap top (not imaged): engraved Fantasía rose emblem. Base (not imaged): label "AZUL LA HABANA."

Diameter: 1.4 Height: 6.5

6.5 cm

1.4 cm

Cap (gilt metal, with engraved rose); barrel/base (gilt metal) with swivel/applicator mechanism (empty).

Metal

Gilt/lacquered metal — brass or copper alloy — now oxidized; no product present.

Poor

Gertrudis Caraballo Gálvez

owner

Havana

Cuba

Caribbean

Central America

use, acquisition