Hi there–let’s talk about collecting vintage Bakelite today! While the values for many items on the vintage and antique market have dropped dramatically over the past 20 years (9/11 + recession), Bakelite is not one of them. In fact it continues to gain value over time, and for that reason I highly recommend collecting it.
I always keep an eye out for this beautiful early plastic when I’m out in the wild hunting down quality junk (that is not an oxymoron). Today I’ll be chatting about some Bakelite history, along with various ways to test pieces that you’re uncertain about. I’ve got a video on the latter topic.
I’ve started shooting some videos (you may have noticed), unfortunately I’m pretty terrible at it, LOL. But I’ve been thinking that if I just keep trying, they might get better. So I’m hoping that you’ll stick with me as I try to figure that side of things out.
Related posts: Collecting vintage enamel jewelry, collecting Vera Neumann textiles, & costume jewelry price guide
History of Vintage Bakelite
I struggled with whether to call Bakelite “vintage” or “antique” because Leo Baekeland invented the stuff in 1907 (making it antique), but it wasn’t until a bit later that the items you and I would collect began to be produced (making it vintage). So we can call early pieces “antique” but later pieces “vintage.” Since its heyday would be considered the 1930’s, we’ll stick with “vintage.”
But back to its invention; it was really quite a big deal. In fact, Leo was on the cover of Time magazine’s September 22, 1924 issue. Turns out that what he discovered almost by accident became a highly useful material. This is what Time had to say about him and his fantastic discovery [tongue in cheek]: “
From the time that a man brushes his teeth in the morning with
a Bakelite-handled brush, until the moment when he removes his last cigarette
from a Bakelite holder, extinguishes it in a Bakelite ashtray, and falls back upon
a Bakelite bed, all that he touches, sees, uses will be made of this material
of a thousand purposes. Books and papers will be set up in Bakelite type.
People will read Bakeliterature, Bakelitigate their cases,
Bakeliturgies for their dead, bring young into the world in Bakelitters.”
Apparently it seemed to some people as if Bakelite was taking over the world!
Made from phenol, carbolic acid, and an alkali catalyst, Bakelite had qualities that other plastics didn’t. Specifically, it resisted heat and electricity, and therefore made an ideal early insulating material (still does). “Industry quickly found thousands of other uses for Bakelite, creating the first Plastic Age, (The Encyclopedia of the Industrial Revolution, p. 57).
Because it is both hard and elastic, much like ivory, it also makes the perfect material for billiard balls. Unlike most plastics, it bears no seams or mold marks, though Lucite doesn’t either, it is smoother and lighter than Bakelite which is both dense and heavy.
Vintage Bakelite Colors
Before too long manufacturers discovered that they could dye the phenol resin a variety of brilliant hues, many of which have fun names like butterscotch, coffee bean, and cherry red. In fact, Bakelite can be found in dozens of colors, as well as in marbled and transparent forms.
Color names often reflect foods, including those I already mentioned, as well as toffee (light yellowish brown), peppermint (light pink), and tomato (red with a hint of orange). Plastic Fantastic has a full list of color names and attributes. Of these, the most popular individual colors are red and green, while striped pieces of jewelry made from slabs of Bakelite laminated together commands high prices indeed.
Oxidation of Bakelite over time has caused the color of most pieces to change over time, usually becoming darker. Some change color completely, white Bakelite turns mustard yellow, for example, and blue has turned green.
This vegetable cutter demonstrates the marbling of yellow and red Bakelite, though it’s difficult to see in the photo. Available.
Vintage Bakelite Jewelry
Bakelite jewelry is highly sought after. It’s bright colors and beautiful sheen have attracted several generations to its unique qualities. Values remain high and continue to rise, especially for highly carved pieces, figural shapes, pieces in red and/or green, and those that are laminated (as I mentioned above).
I discovered this necklace at an estate sale, hanging on a display rack with about 200 other beaded plastic necklaces. I suspected this piece would test positive for Baklelite and for just 50¢, it was worth the risk(!). And to my great pleasure, it tested positive–woo woo!
While most plastic jewelry and other small plastic objects were made with molds, Bakelite could be “extruded” into long tubes of various shapes and densities.
This allowed jewelry makers to literally slice off a piece of the stuff and carve it into beautiful pieces of jewelry, which could be buffed to a satiny sheen. Most plastics, on the other hand, do not lend themselves to carving in the same manner.
This butterscotch bangle is a good example of these processes. It would have been sliced off a larger tube of Bakelite and then hand carved into shape and decoratively engraved. It sold on eBay for $14.50. Keep in mind that the deeper the carving, the more valuable the piece.
You also find Bakelite in transluscent colors like this “apple cider” bracelet. It looks like amber doesn’t it?
Vintage Bakelite Buttons
Button manufacturers also delighted in creating beautiful Bakelite buttons in every one of the available bold colors.
How to Test for Vintage Bakelite Safely with Household Products
Watch the video below to learn how to test for Bakelite, or skip it and read the same material below the video 🙂
Safe chemical testing
One of the simplest ways to test whether a piece of plastic is in fact Bakelite, is to use a household cleaning product. I use MAAS, a metal cleaner similar to Simichrome, which is frequently recommended; however, MAAS is cheaper and can often be found in grocery stores.
Place a small dab of MAAS (or SimiChrome) on a clean rag and firmly rub it on the plastic. Everyone always says to rub it on an inconspicuous spot, but that can be difficult to find. In any event, I’ve never had MAAS adversely affect any plastic, including Bakelite, that I’ve used it on.
In fact, MAAS will actually clean the plastic/Bakelite and leave a beautiful satin-y finish that one likes to find on Bakelite.
If the item you are testing is genuine Bakelite, the pink MAAS will turn amber yellow on your rag, as this utensil handle did. It’s as simple as that to find out whether what you own is in fact real Bakelite.
For comparison sake, on this rag you can see pink MAAS that has not changed color next to MAAS that has turned amber yellow.
Out of all the pieces we tested, these tested positive: Cherry red kitchen utensils and flatware (available), an apple green pencil sharpener (available), a pair of butterscotch earrings (available), and one red earring missing its partner.
NOTE: Black Bakelite often does not test accurately with MAAS or SimiChrome (see below). In other words, often genuine black Bakelite will not turn the pink cream to amber yellow, even if it’s genuine Bakelite. As a result, it needs to be tested in other ways (see below).
Three other products that you can use to test Bakelite include:
- SimiChrome (a metal polisher like MAAS),
- 409 spray cleanser (remove from item after testing), and
- Scrub N’ Bubbles (removed from item after testing)
Simply apply the cream or liquid to a rag or a cotton swab and rub it on the piece like we did with the MAAS, and if it turns amber yellow, as it did with the MAAS, then bingo, it’s Bakelite!
* This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase, I’ll will receive a small compensation that has no effect on the price you pay. Thanks in advance for supporting my blog!
How to Test Bakelite Based on Sound, Weight, & Smell
Sound: When you tap two pieces of Bakelite together they create a “clunky” sound. However, when you tap two pieces of ordinary hard plastic together, you get a “tinny” sound.
Weight: Bakelite is a denser plastic and as a result weighs more. When you compare a piece of Bakelite to a similarly sized piece of hard plastic, the Bakelite usually weighs more.
Smell: After running a piece of Bakelite under hot water for at least 30 seconds, take a sniff. If it smells like formaldehyde, it’s Bakelite. Be careful, in particular of jewelry and only run the plastic under water, not metal findings or string. Not everyone, including me, can smell the formaldehyde 🙁
In fact, some people can simply rub the plastic vigorously with their finger, take a sniff, and detect the formaldehyde odor (or not). Sadly, I am not one of those people.
You may have read about the hot pin test, that is, where you heat up a pin over fire and prick the piece you’re testing in an unnoticeable spot. If you smell formaldehyde it’s Bakelite. However, now your piece has a pin hole, and if it happens to be a combustible early plastic, you might start a fire. I do not recommend this method(!).
I hope you enjoyed talking about vintage Bakelite with me today–looking at some examples and considering the various ways that you can test it. I’d so enjoy a comment letting me know about one of your Bakelite treasures, or perhaps you learned something new today? Go ahead and tell me about it!
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