When two pieces are tapped together they make a distinctive deep clack , as opposed to the high-pitched click of later plastics. Bakelite jewelry develops a surface patina over time. The surface color tends to darken, and very fine pits and scratches are produced with wear. A nice patina enhances the value of a piece of Bakelite jewelry.
When placed briefly in hot water, most but not all Bakelite has a unique and unforgettable carbolic acid smell. Bakelite should be stored carefully, although it is not as fragile as Celluloid. Lucite , an acrylic resin, was first marketed by DuPont in , and it began to appear in costume jewelry around As with Bakelite, Lucite is a thermoset plastic, but it was much cheaper to produce.
Lucite could be molded, cast, laminated, inlaid, and carved. Although clear and colorless in its original state, it could be tinted any color of the rainbow, from transparent to opaque.
Lucite continues to be used in jewelry manufacture, but it reached its height of popularity in the s and 50s. Common post-war pieces of interest to collectors include clear Lucite embedded with glitter, seashells, rhinestones, or flowers. When placed briefly in hot water, Lucite is odorless.
Older Lucite can develop cracks from age or exposure to heat. Wishing to shift her status from novice to aficionado of plastics in costume jewelry, Delores probe me for more information. So, I offered her three standard tests that collectors use to determine authenticity. Assuming that the plastic piece of jewelry does not include string, wood, hand-painted decoration, or other non-plastic decorative materials, one can hold an edge of the piece under hot running tap water for up to 30 seconds and then smell it.
Bakelite has a characteristic Phenol or fresh shellac odor. No odor probably means that the piece is Lucite. If your bakelite jewelry breaks however, it is recommended that you no longer handle it to avoid breathing in dust particles. If you are concerned about wearing plastic against your skin, you can still enjoy collecting this colorful jewelry as an investment.
September 17, 2 min read. July 26, 4 min read. June 29, 9 min read. Antique Jewelry History. The Basics: Celluloid vs Bakelite Jewelry All plastics can be differentiated by how they respond to heat. Casein Casein plastic was first patented in in Germany, and later introduced to the United States in Bakelite Bakelite was patented by Leo Hendrick Baekeland in as a mixture of phenol and formaldehyde heated under high pressure. Why is Bakelite more collectible than other plastic jewelry?
How do you identify Bakelite jewelry? Is Bakelite jewelry safe to wear? Bakelite can be transparent, translucent, or opaque. Bakelite tends to be heavy. When two pieces are tapped together they make a distinctive deep "clack", as opposed to the high pitched "click" of later plastics.
Bakelite pieces develop a surface patina over time. Their surface color tends to darken, and very fine pits and scratches are produced with wear. A nice patina enhances the value of a piece.
When placed briefly in hot water, most but not all Bakelite has a unique unforgettable carbolic acid smell. Bakelite should be stored carefully, although it is not as fragile as celluloid. Lucite Lucite, an acrylic resin, was first marketed by DuPont in Lucite began to appear in costume jewelry around Like Bakelite, it is a thermoset plastic, but it was much cheaper to produce. Lucite could be molded, cast, laminated, inlaid, and carved. Although in its original state it is clear and colorless, it could be tinted any color of the rainbow, from transparent to opaque.
Lucite continues to be used in jewelry manufacture, but it reached its height of popularity in the ss. Common post-war pieces of interest to collectors include clear Lucite imbedded with glitter, seashells, rhinestones, or flowers. When placed briefly in hot water, Lucite is odorless.
Older Lucite can develop cracks from age or exposure to heat. HOT WATER Provided that the piece does not incorporate string, wood, hand painted decoration, or other non-plastic decorative materials; hold the edge of the piece under HOT running tap water for up to 30 seconds and then smell it.
There are reproductions on the market, and newer pieces may be mistaken for old. Old Lucite is dull and semitranslucent; you can see through it, although it appears cloudy. Old Lucite also tends to take on a yellow patina sometimes, and many pieces, especially bangles, are adorned with vintage rhinestones that are often prong set.
There is old jewelry made from plastic that is vintage but not made from Bakelite or Lucite. One such plastic is called acetate. This looks like a hard, colorful plastic but lacks the telltale patina that would distinguish it as Bakelite.
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