Hi, thanks for the compliments.
There are not too many antiques for sale in cuba. Over the years people have been forced to keep using their household goods and they have basically been used up. Cups and plates and any kitchen items.. they don’t last long with continuous use. And honestly, most small items of value were probably sold or smuggled out in the 90s during the deep depression.
There is some antique furniture being sold in old Havana but it’s super expensive. Thousands of dollars.
Honestly I have never seen any small antiques or vintage articles sold anywhere.
But what is sold are handicrafts. Home made items which are cool and interesting. Any large market I’ll have handicraft sections. There are some street fairs which have them too, although at higher prices. One place is located on 23rd street between M and N, I think. A cheaper place is the Tulipan market in the Plaza neighborhood.
You can usually get hand made coffee cups for about 25cents each. They are made of clay and are very cute. There are also handmade dresses, tablecloths, linens and toys. Those are the kind if things Cuba is know for. And they are not just tourist items. Even Cubans use these in their houses.
Art, like paintings can be found all over Havana. A popular place is the art market located on a dock in old Havana. It’s a huge indoor place with paintings and crafts everywhere. Some people like it. Other people say that the stuff is just cheap knock offs. It depends. But it’s still fun to look at.
Mind you, cuba has strict laws pertaining to the export of antiques and art. For anything of value you must an export sticker attached to all paintings. All authorized dealers sell art with the sticker. And never pay more for the sticker. It only costs the artist like 1$.
Take care and I hope this helps.
Mario
