| Dr. Leo Baekland, a scientist, was responsible for the | | | | can devalue the bakelite piece considerable, and it |
| discovery of bakelite. He was born in Belgian. In 1889 | | | | may do serious damage to other types of plastic |
| he immigrated the the USA hoping for better career | | | | should the piece turn out not to be bakelite. If you |
| opportunities. | | | | proceed with this test be sure to find a very |
| In 1907 he was working as independent chemist | | | | inconspicuous spot. |
| when by accident he discovered the compound of | | | | Also if the material should be celluloid, it is very |
| carbolic acid and formaldehyde. When he tried to | | | | flammable and can be very dangerous. If you |
| reheat the solidified compound he discovered it would | | | | suspect the piece may be celluloid I recommend you |
| not melt no matter how high the temperature. | | | | "do not" conduct this test. When ever you are |
| Shortly after he trademarked "Bakelite" as well as | | | | conducting this test you should wear the appropriate |
| two other variations "catalin" and "marblette" which | | | | safety equipment such as eye goggles and gloves. |
| today are also referred to as bakelite. | | | | Formula 409 or Scrubbing Bubbles or Simichrome - |
| Bakelite was the first synthetic plastic. Because of its | | | | this product works very well to test whether an item |
| durability and beauty its uses were simply endless, it | | | | is bakelite. Make sure the item is clean, wet the end |
| grew in popularity very quickly and within 15 years it | | | | of a Q-tip with Formula 409 then touch it to the |
| had taken the world by storm. | | | | piece. |
| You could find everything from electrical plugs, to | | | | If the Q-tip turns yellow then the piece is bakelite. If |
| ornate jewelry made from bakelite. It was even used | | | | you believe a piece is bakelite but it doesn't pass the |
| on the dashboard face of the Mercedes Benz car. | | | | 409 test don't count it out. Sometimes polished |
| It could be produced in a wide array of colors, but | | | | bakelite will not react or pass the test. |
| most common where white, brown, green and red. | | | | The best way to recognize bakelite comes with |
| Bakelite dating back to the 1920s-1940's has oxidized | | | | experience. After you've seen enough pieces you will |
| and developed a wonderful patina that is sometime a | | | | easily recognize it. There are also some excellent |
| completely different hue than the original color. For | | | | books on the market that you might find helpful.o |
| example, White is often seen as butterscotch, light | | | | BAKELITE JEWELRY - Tony GrassooTHE BEST OF |
| blue changes to forest green, pink turns to orange. | | | | BAKELITE AND OTHER PALSTIC JEWELRY - Dee |
| Because of this invention, Dr Beakeland is seen as | | | | Battle & Alayne Lessero BAKELITE JEWELRY |
| the father of the present plastic industry. The | | | | GOOD*BETTER*BEST - Donna Wassertrom & |
| costume jewelry from the 1920's-1940's bakelite era | | | | Leslie Pina |
| is highly sought after. So how do you determine if it | | | | Bakelite has always been known as the material with |
| is actually made of bakelite? There are a couple of | | | | 1000 uses, and it surely did earn this name. Bakelite is |
| fairly simple tests. Although not full proof they work | | | | now treasured for its unique, unreproducible beauty. |
| pretty well. | | | | When the Bakelite patent expired in 1927, it was |
| Smell - When bakelite is heated it has a very strong | | | | acquired by the Catalin Corporation that same year. |
| odor which comes from the carbolic acid in the | | | | They began mass production under the name |
| composition. On some pieces you can release the | | | | "Catalin. The Catalin Corporation was responsible for |
| smell simply by rubbing them hard with your thumb | | | | nearly 70% of all phenolic resins that exist today. |
| and creating heat. | | | | Bakelite-Catalin was sold mainly to companies like |
| Others will need very hot water to release the odor. | | | | Saks Fifth Avenue, Bonwit Teller, Woolworth's, and |
| Still on others the odor is so faint you may not | | | | Sears. Much of the wealthy society fell into touch |
| detect it. | | | | times during the depression and could not longer |
| Sound - When you tap two bakelite pieces together | | | | afford the Tiffany diamonds or Cartier Jewelry. |
| they will make a deep clunking sound, rather than the | | | | Bakelite-Catalin took up the market slack with its |
| higher pitched clack of acrylic or Lucite plastics. This | | | | colorful carved jewelry adorned with rhinestones. This |
| test is the most unreliable as it is difficult to interpret | | | | jewelry was within the reach of all and its popularity |
| the sound because the density of the items affects | | | | grew from the poorest to the wealthiest in society. |
| the sound you hear. | | | | In 1942 Bakelite-Catalin stopped sales of their colorful |
| Hot Pin Test - Bakelite is a thermoset plastic so it | | | | costume jewelry in order to concentrate on the |
| cannot be remolded with heat. To test if a piece is | | | | nation's wartime needs. They produced thousands of |
| bakelite get a very very hot pin from an open flame | | | | products found their way into the military. |
| source, then touch the pin to the item. If it is bakelite | | | | By the end of the war new technologies were for |
| it will not penetrate. | | | | molded plastics had been developed. These new |
| It may give off the acid smell and it may leave a | | | | products consisted of plastics such as Lucite, |
| purple burn mark. | | | | Fiberglass, Vinyl, and Acrylic all which were molded. |
| If the pin penetrates or melts the plastic then it is | | | | Bakelite and Catalin become obsolete except in the |
| not bakelite. Use caution when doing this test as it | | | | hearts of collectors who still pursue it today. |