For more information
on Bakelite, check out the following books (all are available
at the Multnomah County Central Library):
Twentieth
Century Fashionable Plastic Jewelry by Lillian Baker;
Bakelite:
An Illustrated Guide to Collectible Bakelite Objects by
Patrick Cook and Catherine Slessor;
The Story
of Bakelite by John Kimberly Mumford
Ray's Ragtime
(1021 SW Morrison St., 226-2616) has a nice selection of
Bakelite pieces.
If you've ever scoffed at the notion that plastic jewelry
could be anything but cheap, or looked on in confusion as
a fellow shopper rubbed and sniffed a brownish bangle snatched
from a thrift-store bin, you've got a thing or two to learn
about Bakelite.
A moldable plastic, early- to mid-20th-century Bakelite
jewelry and household items fetch serious dough (we're talking
thousands of dollars) at online auctions and vintage shops.
And while in-the-know fashion plates have always adored
the dark-toned baubles, in recent years many more have been
swept up in the charm of Bakelite. Recently, it even turned
up on the runway at a '40s-themed fashion show (benefiting
Maryhill Museum) as a bow-shaped pin. Beyond the constant
recycling of all things retro, it seems a growing number
of people are done discounting the importance of plastics
(think Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate) and rediscovering
the appeal of synthetically spawned jewelry and household
goods.
A limited supply of original pieces doesn't hurt the market,
either. Whatever the case, if you're ready to sniff out
the stuff--for fun or profit--here's a thing or two you
should know about "the material of a thousand uses."
Bits-O-Bakelite
* Bakelite, referred to as the world's first true synthetic,
was invented in 1907 by chemist-entrepreneur Leo Baekeland.
It was used to make everything from necklaces and buttons
to telephones and radio cabinets, primarily from the '20s
through the '60s. It was the perfect material for sleek
Art Deco designs.
* Women put Victorian ideals of minimalist jewelry aside
during the Jazz Age and began to wear more bracelets, pins,
necklaces and other adornments. Plastics, including Bakelite,
were durable, easy to make and lightweight, and they could
be mass produced--in other words, perfect for the times.
It's been estimated that two-thirds of all costume jewelry
was made from Bakelite in the mid-'30s.
* Many Bakelite objects were destroyed in the '70s and
'80s because they were considered commonplace and worthless.
Now their rarity makes them valuable. Sotheby's auctions
off Bakelite items for big bucks, and numerous museum exhibits
have celebrated the material in recent years.
* The formal chemical name for Bakelite is a spelling bee
contestant's nightmare: polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride.
* The word 'Bakelite' has become something of a generic
term, since Union Carbide used the Bakelite mark to sell
other plastics (PVC, for example) after the company acquired
Baekeland's biz in 1939.
* Some distinguishing characteristics of Bakelite (molded
phenolics) are a strong, odd taste, mottled or swirled colors,
shine retention and high heat resistance. Colors are relatively
dark (brown, black and maroon, for example) and may fade.
Bakelite also can become brittle and cracked over time.
A related prized plastic for jewelry is Catalin (referring
to cast phenolics or cast Bakelite), which is often translucent
and more colorful (brights and pastels are common), with
a slight taste and a smell when washed. Catalin jewelry
is often marbleized with two or more colors. Chemical tests
can be used to determine whether a piece is made of Bakelite,
Catalin, Lucite or some other plastic.
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