(2) Bakelite Jewelry Pieces
Carved butterscotch Bakelite pin. Carved leaf like patterns. Middle is a textured gold toned metal with black accents. Center is an intricate openwork design in gold toned metal embellished with multiple small clear gemstones surrounding a larger central gemstone.
Amber colored bangle bracelet. Two amber colored layers, one on top and bottom. Center has a intricate design composed of alternating bands of dark fibrous material and metal wire.
Condition: Good.
Largest Size: 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 1 in.
#3602 .
Bakelite, originally called polyoxybenzylmethyleneglycolanhydride for some sadistic reason, is a thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin. It was first produced accidentally in 1872 by Adolf von Baeyer, though its use as a commercial product was not considered at the time. It was remarkable for being the first plastic made from synthetic components, and was recognized in the early 1900s by Leo Baekland, the wealthy inventor of Velox photographic paper, for its potential. He formally developed the substance known as Bakelite in Yonkers, New York in 1907 and patented it on December 7th, 1909. Bakelite was one of the first plastic-like materials widely introduced into the modern world, and was extremely popular because it could be molded and then hardened into virtually any shape. Because of its electrical nonconductivity and heat-resistant properties, it became a great commercial success. It was used in electrical insulators, radio and telephone casings, and such diverse products as kitchenware, jewelry, pipe stems, children’s toys, and even firearms. In modern times, the “retro” appeal of old Bakelite products has made them collectible. The creation of synthetic plastic was revolutionary for the chemical industry, which at the time made most of its income from cloth dyes and explosives. Bakelite’s success inspired the industry to develop many other synthetic plastics, and the facility that created it was named a National Historic Chemical Landmark by the American Chemical Society. During World War I Bakelite was used widely, particularly in electrical systems, and the availability and ease and speed of molding helped to lower the costs and increase product availability so that telephones and radios became common household consumer goods. It was also very important to the developing automobile industry, and during World War II and the post-War era it continued to be used in countless industries, in everything from broom brushes to electric guitars to the heatshields of ICBM missiles. Tragically, most of the early applications were used with asbestos, which contributed to the deaths of thousands over many decades due to asbestos poisoning when Bakelite became ubiquitous. Once Baekeland’s heat and pressure patents expired in 1927, Bakelite Corporation faced serious competition from other companies, with the Catalin company producing beads, bangles, and earrings through a different process which enabled them to introduce 15 new colors. Translucent jewelry, poker chips, and other items made of phenolic resins were introduced in the 1930s or 1940s by the Catalin company under the Prystal name. By the 1950s, newer materials were superseding Bakelite in many areas, and today the product is mainly confined to use in precision-shaped components in China, Hong Kong, and India. The term Bakelite is sometimes used in the resale market and auction houses as a catch-all for various types of early plastics, including Catalin and Faturan, which may be brightly colored, as well as items made of true Bakelite material.
Condition
Good.
