Hair roller (curler) made from a repurposed perforated plastic tube

Name/Title

Hair roller (curler) made from a repurposed perforated plastic tube

Entry/Object ID

2025.1.161

Description

A short cylindrical hair roller fashioned from a length of rigid plastic tube in a tan/ochre (copper-toned) color. The tube wall is pierced with two staggered longitudinal rows of round drilled holes (roughly four per row in the view shown), open at both ends. A faint scored/seam line runs along the length. The holes are characteristic of a hair curler — allowing airflow/heat and a means to pin the roller and secure gathered hair. The piece is handmade, adapted from tube stock rather than a manufactured cosmetic roller. No maker's mark, lettering, or label is present.

Use

In the Arús Caraballo household

Context

These hair rollers were sold in state "ferreterías" (hardware stores), as per María A. Arús Caraballo.

Collection

The Cabrera Arús family collection

Acquisition

Accession

2025.1

Notes

4 count. 2 sizes.

Made/Created

Place

Country

Cuba

Region

Caribbean, Central America

Notes

Hand-made

Dimensions

Dimension Description

they came in two diameters: 2.3 cms and 1.7 cms

Length

7 cm

Materials

Material

Plastic

Material Notes

Materials: Rigid plastic tube (repurposed; specific polymer undetermined), tan/ochre colored. Technique: A section of plastic tube cut to length, with two staggered rows of holes drilled through the wall — a hand-adapted (improvised) hair roller. Open at both ends.

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Gertrudis Caraballo Gálvez

Notes

owner

Related Places

Place

City

Havana

Country

Cuba

Region

Caribbean, Central America

Notes

acquisition, ownership

Exhibition

Cuban Finotype and Its Materiality

Created By

María A. Cabrera Arús

Create Date

May 4, 2022

Updated By

María A. Cabrera Arús

Update Date

June 14, 2026