What is Bakelite?

Bakelite (/ˈbeɪkəlaɪt/ BAY-kəl-eyet; sometimes spelled Baekelite) or polyoxybenzylmethyleneglycolanhydride was the first plastic made from synthetic components. It is a thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin, formed from a condensation reaction of phenol with formaldehyde. It was developed by the Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland in Yonkers, New York, in 1907.

Bakelite was patented on December 7, 1909. The creation of a synthetic plastic was revolutionary for its electrical nonconductivity and heat-resistant properties in electrical insulators, radio and telephone casings and such diverse products as kitchenware, jewelry, pipe stems, children's toys, and firearms. The "retro" appeal of old Bakelite products has made them collectible.

Bakelite was designated a National Historic Chemical Landmark on November 9, 1993, by the American Chemical Society in recognition of its significance as the world's first synthetic plastic.

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What materials are used in this jewelry?

Finest quality materials are used.

Including but not limited to: Vintage Bakelite (American, French, African, Asian, German, and others), Faturan, Catalin, Sterling Silver, Semi-Precious Stones, African & Asian Bone, Celluloid, and leather.

How do I know this is Bakelite?

All Bakelite has been tested using at least two methods. Most notably with Simichrome Polish.

How is it made?

All pieces are handmade and designed by Karla. Individual pieces are glued with strong epoxy and/or strung professionally. Sometimes it can take up to a year to find all the right pieces for one item.

Where do you get your prices and descriptions?

Every piece is examined under a magnifier by a 3rd party that specializes in Bakelite and vintage jewelry.

Is there signs of wear or glue visible on the jewelry?

On some items there is slight wear or small scratches visible. Great care is taken when vintage pieces are chosen and used, but due to the nature of its age and history there can be signs of wear. Each item is cleaned and lightly buffed or polished, but this does not remove its vintage look. One of the reasons Bakelite has value is how rare and old it is. Many of our pieces have Bakelite that is over a century old.

What is Faturan?

The creation of "Faturan" is thought to have originated by a chemist. He was melting down the filings left after carving beads from amber and mixed these remnants with other natural resins, such as mastika, frankincense, colophony, and turpentine, to mold individual beads from natural substances. Unfortunately, his original formula has long since been lost.

"Bakelite" and "Parkesine" are both synthetic resins named after their inventors. And so "Faturan", named after its original inventor, became a brand of cast thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin, similar to Bakelite and Catalin, manufactured by Traun & Son of Hamburg., developed in the early 20th century, and produced until the 1940s.

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What is Catalin?

Catalin is a brand name for a thermosetting polymer developed and trademarked in 1927 by the American Catalin Corporation of New York City, when the company acquired[citation needed] the patents for Bakelite. A phenol formaldehyde resin, it can be worked with files, grinders, and cutters, and polished to a fine sheen.

Catalin is produced by a different, two-stage process, than other types of phenolic resins, and does not contain fillers, such as sawdust or carbon black. Catalin is transparent, near colorless, rather than opaque. Unlike other phenolics, it can be produced in bright colors or even marbled. This fact has made Catalin more popular than other types of Bakelite for consumer products.

Catalin is heavy, quite greasy in feel, and as hard as brass. It is heat resistant and does not soften under boiling water. Like Bakelite, it gives off a distinctive phenolic odour when heated and can be tested using Simichrome[clarification needed], which turns from pink to yellow. Due to oxidation, older Catalin items darken in color; white discolors to yellow. This caused interesting effects in radio cabinets made from Catalin. Catalin radios were often made in stylish Art Deco designs and are sought after by collectors.

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What is Celluloid?

Celluloids are a class of compounds created from nitrocellulose and camphor, with added dyes and other agents. Generally considered the first thermoplastic, it was first created as Parkesine in 1856 and as Xylonite in 1869, before being registered as Celluloid in 1870. Celluloid is easily molded and shaped, and it was first widely used as an ivory replacement.

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