Desodoral Deodorant Bottle, Suchel

Object/Artifact

-

Archive of Cuban Socialism

Name/Title

"Desodoral" Deodorant Bottle, Suchel

Entry/Object ID

2025.1.236

Description

Small clear glass bottle of "Desodoral" brand deodorant made by the Cuban state cosmetics enterprise Suchel, with original paper label and black screw cap, retaining a quantity of dark deodorant liquid. A Cuban-manufactured personal-care product. DESCRIPTION: Two small, clear colorless glass bottle of rounded-shoulder cylindrical form, with a short neck and a black ribbed plastic screw cap. One of the bottles is empty and the other retains roughly the lower third of its original contents: a dark brown/black liquid. A rectangular paper label is adhered to the front, printed with a decorative design of overlapping white lines over a green background. A white central circle bears the product name "Desodoral" in dark script, with "DESODORANTE" (Spanish for "deodorant") beneath it, and at the bottom the maker's mark "Suchel" with "HECHO EN CUBA" (Made in Cuba). The labels are stained and abraded, and one is partly lost, with brown discoloration (likely from the contents and from age/humidity).

Use

deodorant

Context

Desodoral was a deodorant brand, sold in paste and liquid.

Collection

The Cabrera Arús family collection

Acquisition

Accession

2025.1

Made/Created

Manufacturer

Suchel

Place

Country

Cuba

Region

Caribbean, Central America

Edition

Desodoral

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Label

Location

bottle

Transcription

Desodoral, desodorante, Suchel, hecho en cuba

Language

Spanish

Translation

Desodoral, deodorant, Suchel, made in Cuba

Notes

On the front paper label: - "Desodoral" - "DESODORANTE" (Spanish: deodorant) - "Suchel" (maker, in script with a small flower/rose device) - "HECHO EN CUBA" (Made in Cuba)

Dimensions

Height

11 cm

Circumference

4.5 cm

Parts

bottle, cap

Materials

Material

Glass, Plastic, Paper

Material Notes

Machine-molded glass bottle; printed paper label (offset or letterpress); screw-cap closure

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Gertrudis Caraballo Gálvez

Notes

owner

Person or Organization

Suchel

Notes

producer

Related Places

Place

City

Havana

Country

Cuba

Region

Caribbean, Central America

Notes

production, ownership

Research Notes

Notes

"Desodoral" is the product/brand name (a coinage from "desodorante," deodorant) under the Suchel umbrella. The dark liquid contents are consistent with a liquid roll-on or splash deodorant of the period. The decorative ring/circle motif on the label is characteristic of mid-century cosmetic label design.

Created By

María A. Cabrera Arús

Create Date

March 31, 2022

Updated By

María A. Cabrera Arús

Update Date

June 10, 2026