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VINTAGE BAKELITE, CELLULOID AND LUCITE VINTAGE PLASTICS - By: Sharon Lemell Vintage Bakelite Jewelry plus all Antique and Vintage Plastics including Celluloid and Lucite, Bakelite Kitchenware, Flatware, Utensils and Collectibles are increasingly more in demand and growing steadily each year since more and more are being collected by all generations.  Bakelite on the other hand is unmeltable. It is an early Polymeric Plastic made from a Phenol Formaldehyde Resin invented by Leo Hendrik Baekeland in 1907 while he was trying to invent a varnish. Plastics such as Bakelite were primarily made to provide the public with less expensive items especially during the hardships of World War II and soon became a success in the production of housewares, games, toys and jewelry in such department stores as Sears, Saks, B. Altmans and Bonwit Tellers.  Lucite, another Vintage Plastic, was actually invented by the Chemists of the Dupont Company in 1931 during the Art Deco Period and was more durable and practical for the production of supplies during World War II. Lucite then became a popular medium for women's accessories and fashionable jewelry which include Lucite Bangles, Handbags and where Lucite was incorporated into Bakelite Flatware Utensils! Many people don't realize how many objects in their home when they were growing up were actually made from Bakelite and Lucite. Kitchen Clocks, That Plastic Radio that played all the time, Egg Beaters, Ice Cream Scoopers, The Tops of Sugar Shakers, Can Openers, Pot Handles and so much more were made from Bakelite and Lucite. The Marriage of Bakelite and Lucite showed itself in Two-tone Flatware and Costume Jewelry and is not limited to solids only. A variety of Patterns such as Checkerboards, Dots, Animals, Pearlized Designs, End-Of-Day in a vast array of colors were produced. If you can, have a look around Grandma's or Mom's Kitchen or Jewelry Box. I bet you'll find some wonderful collectible Bakelite that you never noticed before. Be gentle with your Bakelite and wash them by hand. A Dishwashing Machine will ruin the finish. Always buy what you like and be creative with all Vintage Plastics. A table set with Bakelite Utensils and Flatware looks fabulously eclectic with a combination of Bakelite styles and colors. Display your Bakelite, Celluloid, Lucite Brooches and Jewelry in a Lucite Box in your living room as a conversation piece. And Buy from reputable and knowledgeable dealers. The success and use of Vintage Plastics such as Bakelite, Lucite and Celluloid in our past and the ever growing demand of it today. A short history on how it was discovered and how to find it today. To Read and See about more Antique and Vintage Jewelry and Collectibles from the Victorian Era into the 1960's, check out our YEARS AFTER Shop at: |