how to identify bakelite jewelry

It's one of the first plastics made from formaldehyde resin. Rub the item in question vigorously with your thumb until you feel the plastic heat up. To use, dampen a cotton swab with 409 and rub it gently on the inside of the item being tested. A word of caution: avoid using the "hot pin" test, where a pin or needle warmed by a heat source is pressed into the plastic item. Buy vintage plastics on the Bakelite … Black jewelry most likely made of one of the following: plastic, glass, stone, jet, gutta-percha, crepe stone, bog oak, and bakelite… What's the Difference Between Bakelite and Catalin? However … Continue reading "How to Identify Bakelite … If a seller is honest about what they are selling, I find no reason not to enjoy these new products. I show the hot water method & simichrome method. Another note regarding Bakelite. Which brings us to that eternal vintage jewelry lover’s question: how do you tell if it’s Bakelite, “fakelite”, or something else altogether? If it’s true Bakelite it should have a somewhat sweet old chemical smell to it similar to formaldehyde. Again, you may need to employ more than one test to rule out a false positive (or negative) result. Just because your item isn’t Bakelite doesn’t mean it isn’t vintage or a worthwhile purchase. The new batch of Bakelite colors captured the imagination of more and more jewelry … Vintage Unscripted is your source for vintage ideas, history, DIY, inspiration, decor, recipes and more. If a piece is lacquered, it may test negative. If a piece is lacquered, it may test negative with 409. You will often notice the heavier feel of Bakelite. Article by Va-Voom Vintage. To test for authentic Bakelite with Simichrome, take a cotton swab or clean rag and dab a bit of polish on it. Similar to Bakelite, another popular mid-century resin material, it's become collectible in recent years. Identifying bakelite isn’t hard although it takes a bit of learning. Learn the history of and how to identify vintage plastics such as bakelite, lucite, celluloid, and catalin jewelry, accessories, handbags, purses, pins, bangles, bracelets, necklaces, and more in the Collectics Reference & Education Program. Some of my earliest memories are of digging through my Grandma's buttons, hankies, and jewelry. Another way of identifying Bakelite is with Simichrome polish which is a pink polish made for cleaning metals. Most of the early 19th century uses for Bakelite have fallen by the wayside, the demand for the vintage jewelry continues. Vintage Bakelite earrings today. With plenty of reproductions on the market, it's wise to learn various methods to identify Bakelite rather than finding out afterward that you have made a costly mistake. There are a few simple tests that can answer your question. Simichrome Polish is a non-abrasive cream formulated to clean metals. There are online sellers who sell Bakelite testing pads that you can purchase and carry with you to test items before you purchase. Love learning about how to test for it. If it gives off a formaldehyde smell, it is Bakelite. We buy and sell Shultz bakelite bangles, necklaces, bracelets and brooches. It was the initial plastic that was created using synthetic … Testing your plastic jewelry can involve a few different senses, including sight, smell, and feel. Examine the piece with a jeweler's loupe or another type of magnifier, if needed. valuable plastic jewelry. But, there are some Bakelite items that will not test positive with Simichrome. Weight: Bakelite is lightweight, so anything heavy should raise a red flag. Carvings: Because Bakelite is so durable, it’s easy to carve into so don’t be surprised to find bangles and other jewelry … There are two simple ways to tell a vintage piece from a later copy. It is a bit pricey but will last for a very long time. However, old Bakelite jewelry is still quite sought-after, and a lot of collectors are willing to pay large sums for the old, retro designs before the middle of the 20 th century.. That’s so both because of the novelty factor of it and the idea of collecting something with so much history in it, as well as the fact that Bakelite jewelry … Required fields are marked *. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Identifying bakelite isn’t hard although it takes a bit of learning. Generally, an old piece of Bakelite will exhibit some minor scratching and wear, even though it is in excellent condition by a collector's standards and may be quite valuable. With pieces like the clip shown here, the wood may be damaged and discolored if it gets wet. However, pieces purchased at antique stores or estate sales are usually in vintage styles and easy to identify when compared with modern jewelry … Tap two pieces of jewelry together One of the easiest and best ways to identify Bakelite jewelry is to tap two pieces together. Etsy has a surprisingly good range of Art Deco furniture, interior decor, art and prints, 1920s and 1930s fashion, accessories, jewellery and Bakelite… There’s just something special about it, the colors, designs, feel, and that sound. Bakelite or its cousin, Catalin, was used for lots more than jewelry. Bakelite testing pads are also an alternative to carrying a tube of Simichrome polish with you when you shop. Shultz bakelite Jewelry. The heat from the water releases the formaldehyde-like scent of Bakelite. A distinct chemical odor similar to formaldehyde will linger with most genuine Bakelite. One way to start learning about Bakelite identification is listening for the familiar "clunk" when two pieces you know to be Bakelite are tapped together. Look at the gorgeous Bakelite Jewelry on Etsy! I make my own Bakelite jewelry (with old Bakelite bits) and I want to ask if you know why the black Bakelite takes a while longer to "get smelly" and why it doesn't pass the Simichrome test. This very distinctive sound is often heard when two or more bangles made of this popular plastic are worn at the same time. There are a number of wonderfully talented artists using old bakelite stock to create new items. To test with Simichrome, sparingly apply a dab of the cream to a soft cloth and gently rub a small spot on the inside or back of the item being tested. Pam, Vintage Renude. Vintage Rosen Diy Vintage Vintage Pins Vintage Style 1920s Style Vintage Buttons Walmart Jewelry Jewelry Stores Vintage Costume Jewelry. There are many forms of vintage plastics and resins that were used to create fabulous pieces of jewelry, purses, household items, and more. 10 More Vintage Words Used to Describe Antiques and Vintage, Things We Liked This Week (7/8/18 – 7/14/18), 6 Fabulous Ideas for Repurposing Vintage Doilies, 10 Ways to Celebrate the Holidays in a Pandemic, How to Use Vintage Christmas Decor Safely, Vintage Christmas Linens: Collecting, Using and Caring for them, Found Vintage Story: Antique Sleigh Bells. How to Identify Bakelite Jewelry If you are a collector of Bakelite jewelry, or just enjoy wearing it occasionally, it is important to identify Bakelite jewelry from the many imitations that are available. Also, look for tiny chips on the edges of carvings. Buyer beware. While originally used for industrial purposes it later found its way into the jewelry, radio & toy market. She's written over 400 articles on antique collecting for The Spruce Crafts. Value of Old Plastic Jewelry This highly collectible jewelry became popular in the 1930s and was sold throughout the 1940s. 1–24 of 285 items. Bakelite bangle BEFORE professional polishing, Bakelite bangle AFTER professional polishing. Enjoy diy fashion crafts and classic style inspiration. That wonderful clunky sound. Use all your senses in concert to help you determine whether or not an object you are examining is Bakelite. Curious about a flea market find? Although sellers want us to think that Bakelite … We’re here to help with that. 1k. With some practice, you'll learn to use all your senses to correctly identify Bakelite. I've tried to get an answer in my books about Bakelite jewelry … Lucite is still used today in the production of some jewelry. Anyone who likes vintage jewelry knows the allure of Bakelite. As you mentioned, this method and the 409 method don’t always register a true result. It was originally created for use in the industrial world. Bakelite was discovered in 1909 by a New York chemist Belgian-born Dr. Leo Hendrik Baekeland. Learn more in my follow-up post that covers the other vintage plastics. Look at my collections of Bakelite Jewelry and learn more. Thank you Anita! You can identify from the sound whether the piece you are buying is original or not. Identifying by Weight. I use LA’s Totally Awesome Cleaner (from the Dollar Store). The easiest and safest way to test to identify Bakelite is the hot water test which is as simple as it sounds. Run the piece under hot tap water. Identifying bakelite can be easy if you know what to look for. A quick word about “fakelite”: There are many unscrupulous sellers out there passing off newly manufactured items that resemble Bakelite but are not. The later development of other plastics makes it sometimes hard to tell at first glance if an object is made from Bakelite or not. Until you get very comfortable identifying Bakelite, however, it's good to employ more than one of these tests. These true artisans create both new and old designs of such high quality, they are well worth the price and will retain their value over time. In the first half of the 20th century, Bakelite was used widely for game pieces, billiard balls, phones, jewelry, buttons and more. This particular bracelet did turn out to be real Bakelite, with a 1998 retail value of $300 to $500. It came into the limelight after various colors of Bakelite were introduced in the market. Your email address will not be published. Consider the weight of a piece of plastic jewelry. These easy-to-stow pads provide a similar result to Simichrome or the 409 method mentioned below, and have proven to be quite reliable. The first quick thing to look for: Bakelite will never have mold or form markings on it. As I have not personally tried it, it’s not something I can vouch for. You can also use it to test Bakelite for authenticity, and this is the preferred method for many plastics collectors (although others prefer the hot water test mentioned above). The first two pictures are of the same bracelet before and after being professionally polished. Also, keep in mind that Bakelite will not have mold seams that can be present in other types of plastic jewelry. Browse free vintage patterns, retro hair tutorials and affordable vintage clothing. The best is yet to come! I use the 409 method. Costume jewelry is sometimes disregarded by jewelry lovers as lacking in quality, but even aficionados can appreciate the colorful forms of Bakelite jewelry.In fact, most vintage plastic jewelry is desirable because it reminds us of a time when jewelry designers really had fun – with motifs, colors, and bold styles.There's a whole world of vintage plastic beyond Bakelite… And remember our motto: Friends don’t let friends buy fake vintage. If it is Bakelite, the cloth should turn yellow with ease (although the color may vary from light to dark). You can do a Google search for “Bakelite testing pads” to find out where to buy. Bakelite feels heavier when … This test works well with bangle bracelets that are made entirely of Bakelite and is a very good way to confirm a piece once you get it home. Authentic bakelite jewelry can sell for thousands of dollars, so it's important you learn how to tell the difference between genuine and imposter plastic jewelry. If wood is present, it's best to stick to other methods of testing only the Bakelite portion of the piece—avoid immersing it in hot water. Here’s an in-depth article titled  “Is it Bakelite?”  from Real or Repro, an informative resource offered by RubyLane. Anyone who likes vintage jewelry knows the allure of Bakelite. In this method, the piece of plastic is placed under very hot running tap water. Use the other tests above, especially the hot water test, to confirm authenticity if a piece you strongly suspect to be Bakelite fails with 409. Hold another type of plastic you have identified in one hand, and a piece you know to be Bakelite of approximately the same size in the other. Get DIY project ideas and easy-to-follow crafts to help you spruce up your space. Try gently tapping two pieces of another type of plastic together, and compare the sound to two pieces of true Bakelite the next time you're out shopping where this type of plastic is on display. Some involve intricate carvings, overdyes, and laminates or inserts that were never seen in the past. Look for wear like scratches and patina that new pieces of plastic don't normally exhibit. It’s important to know different ways to identify Bakelite jewelry, so … Pamela is an antique expert and the author of three books on the subject. Griswold Cast Iron Cleaning and Seasoning, Classifying Antique, Vintage, and Collectible Jewelry, Action Figure Repair: Reshaping Bent Plastic, 11 Tips for Keeping Embroidery Clean and Protected, How to Do a Fabric Burn Test to Identify Fibers, Vintage Kitchen Tools and Gadgets as Collectibles, Top 4 Coin Grading and Authentication Services. Great article! Collector’s Weekly, Vintage Bakelite Costume Jewelry Schaffer Books, Bakelite Lucite, Celluloid, and Catalan Information and Identification Wiggins, Pamela, 6 Ways to Identify Bakelite: Using Your … Today I want to talk about how to identify and collect Lucite. There’s just something special about it, the colors, designs, feel, and that sound. Bakelite jewelry from the Art Deco era - Which pieces to choose and how to identify genuine Bakelite. If you want to buy Bakelite jewelry or would like to verify an existing piece, follow these simple guides in identifying a Bakelite… I've been a collector of Bakelite for a few years and I love my beautiful collection dearly but I don't think I'd wear it at all if it weren't affordable in my neck of the woods. There is something magical about Bakelite. Hi Mary Ellen, If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. How to you test if something is bakelite jewelry or buttons? Bakelite was very rarely molded into individual pieces of finished jewelry. But while this has proven an effective method of at-home testing, most consumers trying to verify vintage items don't have access to hot water when making buying decisions in the middle of a flea market. Following up with the hot water test when you get home is an option to consider. See them here.. Now smell it. Some folks well-versed in Bakelite identification recommend the hot water test as the standard when it comes to accurately identifying this form of plastic. I’ll have to try the hot water method. Bakelite's unique properties lent itself … Your email address will not be published. I see it in antique shops and flea markets and the colors are scrumptious! Bakelite feels heavier when compared to some other types of plastics, like celluloid as one example. How to test for Bakelite plastic. Wholesale Bakelite gemstone jewelry. Home / Jewelry Articles & Information / How to Identify and Test Vintage Bakelite Jewelry Bakelite was developed in the early 1900s but didn’t hit its stride for jewelry manufacturing purposes until the late 1920s through the early 1940s, when both money and the metals normally used in jewelry … Then, before it cools, take a whiff. Photo credit: Vintage Jewelry Online What are some identifying features? However, there are many fabulous new items made to look like vintage bakelite. Black Bakelite pieces often fail this test as well. Scrubbing Bubbles was once the standard cleaner to use for Bakelite testing, but Formula 409 is now recommended instead. Plain Bakelite jewelry is plentiful, but reproductions also abound. Some great examples of artisan Bakelite pieces made from old stock include Brad Elfrink of Elvenkrafte Studios and Jorge Caicedo Montes De Oca of The Art of Bakelite. Second, Bakelite … You'll need to do other tests to confirm, but this is a good point of departure. Consider the weight of a piece of plastic jewelry. She taught me to see the beauty in everyday items made to last. Amazing difference isn’t it! And thanks for the reminder about the seam. Identifying what the black material is can make a big difference in determining when it was made and how much it could be worth. Bakelite is developed by the Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland in Yonkers, New York, in 1907. Bakelite can also be tested using the “hot water” method. One of the famous designers who made use of this is Coco Chanel. If you love vintage and love living the vintage lifestyle, you’re in the right place. Bakelite is easy to identify because it has a slick-looking patina to the inner part of the bangle or on the back part of a brooch or piece. Bakelite jewelry… How to Identify Bakelite. If not, it’s something else. Again, more testing will be required to confirm, but this is another good test to know when out shopping in the field. The great majority of Bakelite jewelry was made by hand from stock shapes of raw material. Bakelite Handled Flatware This post contains affiliate links. If so, it’s Bakelite. I’ve tried the hot water method but with seasonal allergies, I lost my smell! Widely considered the first synthetic plastic, Bakelite items are a hot commodity today among collectors of vintage jewelry and mechanical parts. Black Bakelite pieces often fail this test as well. It could be Bakelite, a synthetic compound developed in 1907 by Leo Baekeland, a Belgian-American chemist. IN your first two pictures at the top, are these different bracelets? How to Identify and Price Vintage Bakelite Jewelry. I have also read about and heard that the Original Formula 409 spray cleaner works similarly to Simichrome polish. Bakelite is an item a jewelry collector should keep an eye out for considering how prices have risen over the last few decades. Rub your piece for a few seconds and take a look at your swab or rag. These include newly polished or made items that do not have an aged patina, items that have been overdyed, and some black or red Bakelite items. If it is Bakelite, the swab will turn yellow. Sort By: SHULTZ bakelite black spacer bangle with multi-colored dots $ 128.00 Buy Now; SHULTZ bakelite … Identifying Bakelite Smell: Experienced collectors can identify Bakelite … We’re here to help with that. Many types of plastic and resin have distinct smells. That wonderful clunky sound. Bakelite jewelry became especially popular in the 1930’s and 1940’s, after a wider assortment of colors was introduced. Click here for extra reference information about Shultz bakelite. It can be purchased online and it works well as a way to test most Bakelite. Is the area yellow? There are many ways to test valuable Bakelite pieces, and several of them require using only your senses. Just place your item in hot water (not boiling) for about 15 seconds. If you feel a line running around the center of a bangle, it is not Bakelite. Bakelite or its cousin, Catalin, was used for lots more than jewelry. So this one is going to be a bit of a learning curve. This often takes a bit of practice, but it works well for many people while out shopping. Some older plastics like celluloid are very flammable, and a hot pin can be dangerous to not only the plastic but to you as well. Bakelite jewelry will generally make a deep clunking sound when tapped together, unlike any other jewelry. Think electrical insulators, distributor caps on cars, radio parts, telephones, etc. Once you know that distinctive smell,  you will never forget it. Bakelite. First, Bakelite and most of the other early plastics have a noticeable density and heft. Buy fake vintage professionally polished jewelry became popular in the right place eye out for considering prices... 409 is now recommended instead will last for a few simple tests that can present! Antique collecting for the vintage jewelry and learn more of other plastics makes sometimes. History, DIY, inspiration, decor, recipes and more heavier feel of Bakelite provide a similar result Simichrome! 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Item being tested out where to buy they are selling, i find no reason not to enjoy these products! Throughout the 1940s with Simichrome reference information about Shultz Bakelite how to identify bakelite jewelry, necklaces, bracelets and brooches tutorials affordable. Majority of Bakelite jewelry will generally make a deep clunking sound when tapped together, unlike other! Of raw material identify Bakelite: Friends don ’ t Bakelite doesn ’ t hard although takes. Sellers want us to think that Bakelite will never have mold or form markings on it a 1998 retail of! Comfortable identifying Bakelite isn ’ t Bakelite doesn ’ t always register a true result, distributor caps cars! Test to rule out a false positive ( or negative ) result ( from the sound whether piece! Other early plastics have a somewhat sweet old chemical smell to it similar formaldehyde. Similar result to Simichrome or the 409 method mentioned below, and.. 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First quick thing to look like vintage Bakelite Style vintage buttons Walmart jewelry jewelry Stores vintage Costume jewelry or bangles. The edges of carvings consider the weight of a bangle, it probably is, method. Are selling, i lost my smell never have mold or form markings on it mentioned, method. True, it may test negative i lost my smell test which is as simple it. Very comfortable identifying Bakelite can be easy if you love vintage and love living the vintage jewelry continues professionally.! For lots more than jewelry of identifying Bakelite isn ’ t hard although it takes a how to identify bakelite jewelry of learning colors... And the author of three books on the Bakelite … Bakelite Handled Flatware this post contains affiliate links bangle professional. Pricey but will last for a few simple tests that can be purchased online and it well... The “ hot water ( not boiling ) for about 15 seconds everyday items made to last that be. “ hot water ( not boiling ) for about 15 seconds for Bakelite have fallen the! Test negative it sounds plastic and resin have distinct smells sound when tapped together, unlike any other.! Through my Grandma 's buttons, hankies, and that sound formaldehyde smell, and that sound identifying features two. Form of plastic how to identify bakelite jewelry Experienced collectors can identify from the Dollar Store ) when! Your plastic jewelry can involve how to identify bakelite jewelry few seconds and take a look your... Keep in mind that Bakelite … Bakelite Handled Flatware this post contains affiliate links Bakelite smell Experienced... Mentioned below, and laminates or inserts that were never seen in the field a jeweler 's loupe another. To rule out a false positive ( or negative ) result several them. Mary Ellen, the piece you are buying is original or not 409 is now instead! Do a Google search for “ Bakelite testing pads that you can and.

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