Antique and vintage Bakelite jewelry, in addition to all vintage and vintage plastics including celluloid, lucite, Bakelite cookware, cutlery, utensils and collectibles, have earned significant respect and are sought after every year. more each year, as all generations collect more.
Many people don’t realize how many objects in their home as children were made from Bakelite and Lucite. Kitchen clocks, the plastic radio that rang all the time, cutlery and utensil handles, egg beaters, ice cream scoops, sugar bowl lids, can openers, pot handles and much more. they were made of bakelite and lucite. Even the telephones were made of Bakelite. The marriage of Bakelite and lucite was showcased in two-tone cutlery and costume jewelry and is not just limited to solids. A variety of patterns such as checkerboards, dots, animals, pearlescent designs, end of day were produced in a wide range of colors. Spoons with Bakelite handles are the hardest to find as boxed Bakelite kitchen cutlery sets were mostly sold with just forks and knives for picnics and lunches. If you can, check out the Grandmas or Moms Kitchen and Jewelry Box. I bet you will find wonderful collectible bakelites that you have never noticed before.
Plastics like Bakelite were primarily made to provide the public with less expensive items, especially during the hardships of World War II. Incredibly, plastics like celluloid have been around since the 19th century!
Celluloid was invented by John Wesley Hyatt in 1869 and was widely used between 1890 and 1917 throughout the Victorian, Art Nouveau, and parts of the Art Deco period. Because celluloid is highly flammable, manufacturing was for a limited time and was discontinued until safer plastics were introduced, making vintage and vintage celluloid jewelry highly collectible today.
Bakelite, on the other hand, cannot be melted. It is one of the first polymeric plastics made from a phenol formaldehyde resin invented by Leo Hendrik Baekeland in 1907 while trying to invent a varnish.
Be careful with your Bakelite and wash them by hand. A dishwasher will ruin the finish. Always buy what you like and be creative with All Vintage Plastics. Display your Bakelite, celluloid, lucite brooches and jewelry in a lucite box in your living room as a talking point. Style your kitchen with vintage Bakelite utensils, cookware and appliances for a fantastic vintage look. And always buy from reputable and knowledgeable dealers.