In fact it is hard for me to pass up any item made of bakelite. I look at those wonderful carved bakelite handles on the flatware and just know there must be some way to make them into jewelry. Guess that is why I presently have a box full just waiting for my creative mind to get to work.
Bakelite (aka polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride) is an early plastic developed by Dr. Leo Baekeland, a Belguim chemist, in 1907 as he searched for a replacement for shellac.
One of the first synthetic plastics made, it was first used in the maufacturing of radios, but soon, was used for kitchenware, jewelry, toys and many other items.
Bakelite has a very distinct odor when rubbed or held under hot water (smells like formaldehyde). It can also be tested with Simichrome, 409, Scrubbing bubbles and several other cleaners by rubbing a small amount on a q-tip and rubbing on the item. A light to dark yellowish mark will be left on the q-tip.
Bakelite has become very collectible in the recent years setting auction records in the prices of vintage radios and jewelry.
I have recently purchased quite a few pairs of vintage bakelite earrings. I have both clips and pierced (much harder to find). These are old store stock and have never been worn. These and many other bakelite pieces are available in my shops.
