Name/Title
"Tess" compact powder refill (polvo compacto, repuesto), shade "Bronceado"Entry/Object ID
2025.1.367Description
Square cardboard box for a Tess polvo compacto (pressed face powder/concealer) refill ("repuesto"). The front is printed with the Tess emblem — a stylized serif "T" topped by a small gold crown within a black roundel, the wordmark "Tess" reserved out of a peach disc — over "POLVO COMPACTO," with "REPUESTO" at the lower right; the board is heavily toned, foxed, and stained. The refill itself is a round powder godet topped by a circular blue felt/flocked applicator pad. Per the transcription, the packaging is marked "EMPRESA CONSOLIDADA DE JABONERIA Y PERFUMERIA / HECHO EN CUBA / BRONCEADO."Use
Belonged to Gertrudis Caraballo Gálvez. Unused.Context
"Polvo compacto" is pressed face powder or concealer; "repuesto" denotes a refill pan made to reload a permanent compact — a thrift-oriented format consistent with the scarcity economy of the period. The maker, the Empresa Consolidada de Jabonería y Perfumería, was the early Cuban state enterprise founded in 1961 under Ernesto "Che" Guevara's Ministry of Industries to consolidate the nationalized soap-and-perfume firms (Sabatés, Crusellas, Gravi, Agustín Reyes); it later adopted the "Suchel" commercial name (Suchel-Fragancias from 1966). A product still marked with the "Empresa Consolidada" name — rather than "Suchel" — therefore points to the 1960s, making Tess one of the earlier objects in this series. "Tess" is not listed in the later Suchel-era Cuba Material cosmetics catalog (Fantasía, Prisma, Realce, Alondra, Cirene), consistent with an earlier brand.Collection
The Cabrera Arús family collection, Gertrudis Caraballo Gálvez collecitionMade/Created
Manufacturer
Empresa Consolidada de Jabonería y PerfumeríaTime Period
1960sPlace
Country
CubaRegion
Caribbean, Central AmericaEdition
TessNotes
Manufacturer: Empresa Consolidada de Jabonería y Perfumería, Ministry of Industries, Cuba (the pre-"Suchel" state enterprise) — named on the box per transcription; confirmed founding 1961 (Che Guevara) and later renamed Suchel.
Date: circa 1960s; tentative within that decade. The "Empresa Consolidada" marking (not yet "Suchel") places it before the Suchel-branded items elsewhere in this series — comfortably within the collection period.Inscription/Signature/Marks
Type
InscriptionTranscription
Tess
POLVO COMPACTO
REPUESTO
EMPRESA CONSOLIDADA DE JABONERIA Y PERFUMERIA
HECHO EN CUBA
BRONCEADOLanguage
SpanishTranslation
PRESSED POWDER
REPLACEMENT
CONSOLIDATED SOAP AND PERFUMERY ENTERPRISE
MADE IN CUBA
BRONZENotes
Box lid: Tess emblem (serif "T" + gold crown in black roundel) and wordmark "Tess"; "POLVO COMPACTO"; "REPUESTO." Per holder transcription (location on packaging not specified in images): "EMPRESA CONSOLIDADA DE JABONERIA Y PERFUMERIA / HECHO EN CUBA / BRONCEADO." No interlocked monogram noted on this object (unlike the later Suchel-line items).Dimensions
Height
1.2 cmWidth
7 cmLength
7 cmParts
Cardboard box; powder refill godet (pressed-powder cake, not visible); circular blue felt/flocked applicator pad; powder cake.Materials
Material
CardboardMaterial Notes
Cardboard with lithographed paper (box); pressed face-powder cake (talc/binder/pigment — not visible); felt/flocked textile applicator pad; metal or plastic godet (tentative).Relationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Gertrudis Caraballo GálvezNotes
ownerRelated Places
Place
City
HavanaCountry
CubaRegion
Caribbean, Central AmericaNotes
acquisitionResearch Notes
Notes
Shade is darker than the owner's skin. This explains why is was not used. Probably acquired due to lack of other shades or gift.Created By
María A. Cabrera ArúsCreate Date
March 31, 2022Updated By
María A. Cabrera ArúsUpdate Date
July 17, 2026
