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 manufacturing were scarce. By the early ’40s its use was directed toward the war effort and less toward ornamentation and following the end of World War II its popularity never really rebounded, since by that time its manufacturing process was considered too labor intensive and costly. Also, with the war’s end, once-scarce base metals (scarce because their use was directed toward the war effort), were once again readily available for use in everyday jewelry.
That’s not to say, however, its use ceased altogether. These photos show an ART (c) necklace from a personal collection that incorporates paisley-shaped marbled russet Bakelite disks. The copyright symbol displayed on the manufacturer’s stamp, coupled with what we’ve researched on ART (c) pieces, indicates this necklace was made post mid-1950s.
Discovered by accident by Dr. Leo Baekeland, Bakelite’s original uses were utilitarian rather than decorative. Bakelite is a thermoset plastic, which simply means it is set by high heat and, once set, does not melt. While this doesn’t seem like such a big deal today, back in the early 1900s this was sensational, for the nearest man made material that could be considered even remotely akin to our modern day plastics was celluloid, which is brittle, fairly flimsy and, in its earliest forms, could even ignite if exposed to too much heat or friction. Thus, this thermoset plastic’s earliest uses came in the form of electrical insulators, radio casings and kitchen ware, where its heat-resistant nature was put to good use.
Bakelite Jewelry Characteristics
Bakelite has a certain look, a certain feel and a certain ‘richness’ to it that can be hard to describe to the uninitiated. Like Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart’s remark regarding pornography (“…I know it when I see it…”), you’ll find that the more exposed you become to this material in its various forms, the more successful you’ll be at discerning what’s Bakelite and what isn’t, to the point that you’ll “know it when you see it” a great percentage of the time.
That being said, there are certain characteristics and signs you can look for that will help narrow down whether the item you’re considering is authentic:
Jewelry Made of Bakelite Has No Seams. Unlike many plastics, Bakelite will have no seams. Bracelets were cut from long tubes, then tumble polished. Carved bracelets were made so by workers hand holding the unfinished product against lathes and carving the designs into the material. And pins were cut from sheets or chunks of the material, then carved and tumble polished as required.
Carved Bakelite Jewelry Patterns are Imperfect. As mentioned in the paragraph above, carving was a hand-held proposition. Though the actual carving was done by machine, it was human hands that held the piece against the lathe and human eyes, not machines, that gauged how far and how deep to cut. And don’t forget: This was ‘every woman’s jewelry.’ It could easily be had at the local Woolworth’s or other stores for cheap. Consequently, this hand-held method of mass production, coupled with the fact that these pieces by and large weren’t considered high-end, means that carved pieces aren’t perfect.
Check the Findings. Vintage Bakelite jewelry, by and large, will have vintage findings. ‘Findings’ simply refers to the materials used (usually metal) to construct the piece and includes items such as jump rings, clasps, pin backs, hooks, and the like.
Sometimes the type of finding used can be a clue as to a piece’s age. Vintage pin backs, for example, are oftentimes riveted or screwed to the material rather than glued. Though a non-riveted pin back doesn’t necessarily mean a piece isn’t vintage, a riveted pin back is a good indicator of a piece’s age:
Bakelite Tests
The first thing to understand about testing is this: There is no test that works 100% of the time on 100% of Bakelite. There are, however, a couple of tests that, coupled with a decent working acquaintance with the product, will help you determine whether a piece is legitimate:
The Hot Water Test. This test involves dipping the piece in very hot water for about half a minute and immediately smelling it. The material should give off the odor of formaldehyde, since phenol formaldehyde, plus filler material, is the material with which vintage Bakelite was made. We don’t use this test, simply because we aren’t acquainted with the smell of formaldehyde and we don’t trust our noses to be an accurate gauge. If you use this test, try to avoid getiting water on metal findings and if it cannot be avoided, be sure your jewelry is thoroughly dried to avoid rust. Never immerse pieces with rhinestones in water because the moisture can seep behind the rhinestones and weaken glue or cause water damage to the stones.
The Rubbing Test. Uses the same principle as the hot water test, only involves rubbing the piece vigorously with a thumb or finger, creating enough heat and friction to discern the formaldehyde odor. If you’re confident using your sense of smell as a guide, this is a handy test to use if you’re in an antique store, flea market or other venue where other testing methods may be impractical.
The 409 Test. This test involves moistening a cotton swab in regular old Formula 409, then rubbing the swab on the piece in question with moderate pressure. A yellowish stain on the cotton swab indicates a positive test. We initially used 409 for all our testing but at one point had heard that the ‘old” chemical make up of Formula 409 has changed and that the new Formula 409 isn’t a reliable testing medium. We don’t know whether such rumors are valid but once we ran out of 409, we switched to Simichrome.
The Simichrome Test. Simichrome is a chrome and metal polish that can supposedly be purchased at hardware stores. After running around our local hardware stores in search of this stuff for a couple of weeks, we gave up and just ordered ours online from an Ebay seller. It cost us around $7.00 about seven years ago. The tube we bought is 1.76 ounces and as you can see, we’ve only used a very small amount of it.
The Simichrome test is similar to the 409 test: Squeeze a very, very small amount of Simichrome onto a cotton swab, then rub it on the piece you’re testing using moderate pressure. The Simichrome, which comes out of the tube a very light, pinkish color, will turn yellowish on the swab if the piece you’re testing is Bakelite.
We favor this test for the same reasons we initially liked the 409 test: We’ve found it to be easy to perform, consistent and reliable. We believe it provides the most objective and accurate results, relying not on a keen sense of smell, ‘smell memory’ or wishful thinking but on evidence we can see almost immediately.
Two things to note about Simichrome testing: First, Simichrome will strip the patina off your piece if used too vigorously. Use it sparingly and if at all possible, test on the reverse side of a piece. We’ve yet to have a piece’s appearance altered by use of Simichrome. Just proceed gently.
Second, Simichrome is smelly, even in small amounts. Once you’ve completed your test, be sure to wash off the area that’s been tested. We use a soft toothbrush and a little bit of dish soap in warm water. Works like a charm.
Tests That Are NOT Recommended. Other tests you may have heard of include the hot pin test and the Scrubbing Bubbles test.
We absolutely do not recommend these tests. The hot pin test involves heating a pin, then placing it on the piece. The idea is that if it’s genuine, the piece will remain intact and unmelted. That’s fine, but what if you have a piece of vintage celluloid or gutta percha on your hands, or other piece of collectible or valuable material? You now have a damaged piece that is worth less than when you started. And while a hot pin won’t melt Bakelite, it can mar it somewhat. Why risk the damage?
The Scrubbing Bubbles test uses the same principles as the 409 and Simichrome tests, only using Scrubbing Bubbles. While we’ve read this test can produce good results, it is also much easier to mar a piece’s finish by using Scrubbing Bubbles. And we’ve even seen listings on Ebay claiming the piece passed ‘the Ajax test.’ No doubt a degeneration of the Scrubbing Bubbles test but it can give a person nightmares thinking of someone scrubbing away at a piece of Bakelite jewelry with Ajax or Comet cleanser.
Don’t Forget: There is No Fail Safe Test That Can Be Applied To ALL Situations. Sometimes black color pieces will not test positive. Or an item that’s been painted or clear coated will not test. Or a piece that’s been refinished or vigorously polished with Simichrome may not test. But by and large, by exposing yourself to vintage Bakelite jewelry in its various forms, by feeling it in your hands, by testing and by viewing photos of classic designs, you’ll find yourself well on your way to becoming your own in-house expert.
