Art Deco Flapper Brooch Pin, Bakelite, Hand Painted, 1920's.
Art Deco Flapper Brooch Pin, Bakelite, Hand Painted, 1920's.
The most highly collected vintage plastic, Dr. Leo Baekeland patented the process of making bakelite in 1909. Similar materials like Catalin used in radios and other consumer goods were made by other companies. Bakelite was very widely used and in demand for radios, jewellery, kitchen utensils and dinnerware, and as decorative features on other items like cocktail shakers. Bakelite is a type of plastic that is made under high heat, but it cannot be recycled. Bakelite is a very flexible material that can be decorated through moulds, carvings, inlays, lamination, etc, and it could be made in almost any colour. Bakelite can change colour, with whites usually turning more cream coloured for example. The exposed area can darken and acquire scratches, and a type of patina forms on the surface. It can be opaque, translucent, or transparent. Most, but not all, Bakelite will emit an acrid smell when placed under hot water. Bakelite is a sturdy material and is rather heavy, more so than celluloid or lucite.
Item Code - JEW11C241FDZ6C1
Width: 1/4" Height: 2 5/8" Depth: 1/2" Weight: 8 g
