The ABCs of Vintage: B is for Bakelite

Here is a little background on bakelite.  It was created by the Belgian chemist, Dr. Leo Baekeland,  in the early 1900s.  It was the first plastic made of synthetic components.  It was used in electronics, phones, kitchen accessories, toys, even machine guns.  It was even considered by the US Mint for use as the penny during WWII!!   
It had its hey-day in the 1920s and 30s when it was all the rage in jewelry.  Catalin Company was the most well-known bakelite jewelry-maker responsible for the creation of many colors and variations (such as marblization) that you find today in vintage bakelite.
It is no longer widely used because it is difficult and costly to produce, and it is brittle.  All of these factors combine to make bakelite a highly collectible vintage accessory.

Here are a few pieces from my collection.

Two belt buckles made of red bakelite:

A bakelite pencil sharpener:

Two bakelite shoe clips:

A bakelite bar pin and two lamp pulls (from an old hotel in NYC):

Four bakelite rings:

A bakelite umbrella handle:

Buyer Beware: I was so excited when I found these bangles for only $10 each at a local shop (they claimed they were bakelite).  I later tested the bangles to find that they are vintage plastic but not bakelite.  As an aside, the coordinating necklace that I found at a tag sale the same day, is, in fact, amber and high collectible in it's own right.  Oh well, you can't win them all!

**One of the easiest ways to check to make sure your item truly is bakelite is to spray Formula 409 onto a paper towel and rub the plastic.  If the paper towel turns yellow where you rubbed, it's the real deal.**


For more info on ways to test bakelite, CLICK HERE.