Lucite, developed by the Dupont Company in 1931, made its first appearances in the jewelry world toward the end of World War II. Prior to that time Lucite, as well as its cousin Plexiglas (developed by Rohm & Haas Chemical during the same general time period) was utilized as part of the war effort in the manufacture of windshields for war planes and on submarines, since it has high transparency, high water resistance and is lighter weight than glass.
Lucite Jelly Belly Jewelry
It was after World War II that the process of embedding objects in Lucite was developed and it’s also around this time that ‘jelly belly’ jewelry came into popularity. The jelly belly design concept is attributed to Trifari, whose chief jewelry designer, Alfred Phillippe, applied for design patents back in the late 1930s for designs which during the 1940s began showing up as ‘jelly bellies,’ initially using surplus Lucite material that was structurally unsuitable for use in aircraft.
The term, ‘jelly belly,’ refers to jewelry in which the major portion of the body is clear Lucite in an open back setting. It does not include jewelry items that incorporate only a small amount of clear Lucite in the overall design and it does not include jewelry that uses colored or opaque Lucite.
Morning Glory Antiques has a wonderful jelly belly album of pins, fur clips and earrings that incorporates both early vintage jelly belly designs up through designs of the 1960s. If you’ve never seen a true jelly belly before, it’s worth a few minutes to view their incredible online collection.
Confetti Lucite Jewelry
Confetti Lucite enjoyed its first round of popularity in the 1950s-1960s and oftentimes incorporated other design elements such as seashells in addition to the confetti that was embedded within the Lucite.
Moon Glow Lucite
Moon Glow’ Lucite refers to the pearlized, iridescent Lucite that can be found in a variety of colors and in all types of jewelry. Vintage moon glow Lucite dates as far back as the 1940s but it’s still being manufactured and used in modern jewelry designs as well.
Vintage Lucite Pins
Vintage Lucite pins are still relatively easy to find and use silly, funky and whimsical designs similar to that found in vintage Bakelite pins. And since Lucite, like Bakelite, can be carved or reverse carved, oftentimes vintage Lucite pins will incorporate both reverse carving and painting on the back side of a piece so that both the color and carving shows through the clear Lucite.
Dating Vintage Lucite Jewelry
Since Lucite is still very much a part of modern jewelry, it can be difficult to accurately gauge the era from which it comes. Classic jelly belly designs, for example, are highly collectible and have been reproduced, sometimes nicely and sometimes using lesser materials and with lesser workmanship solely for the purpose of fooling the neophyte collector.
The best way to proceed for a beginner is to first acquaint yourself with the styles of Lucite jewelry and when they were first introduced and the materials used in their construction. Once you’ve zeroed in on a style or era of vintage Lucite that appeals to you, learn all you can about it.
There are plenty of jewelry collecting books available as well as online guides and reference sites that will allow you to expand your knowledge of all different styles of vintage jewelry from the comfort of your home. Visit our Jewelry Links page for a list of reference sites we’ve found helpful in researching such things as jewelry manufacturer’s stamps, silver hallmarks, jewelry patents and other jewelry-related issues.
