Museum object · Accessories and Personal Effects
Metal cosmetic case with rhinestones and beads from Mae's Millinery Shop
1941-1994
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, North and Central America
Source catalog description
This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.
Gold-colored metal compact case (a) with rhinestone and plastic pearl beaded decoration. The case opens with a hinge along one long side. The bottom half of the case contains, from left to right, a tray of loose cosmetic powder with a spring-action lid, a compartment containing a brown plastic pouch (b) that is empty, a metal tube of coral shaded lipstick that is attached to the case with a hinge. The lid of the case has a mirror (c) on the left, with a cut-out space for the lipstick on the right side. The mirror has a spring action mechanism along the hinge of the case that reveals an additional storage area in the lid when lifted. The case has a metal link handle.
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Sources & collection details
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture — original record ↗
Catalog metadata · CC0 · Source checked 2026-10-13
Catalog reference: 2016.48.89.1abc
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