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Scrubbing Bubbles was once the standard cleaner to use for Bakelite testing, but Formula 409 is now recommended instead. To use, dampen a cotton swab with 409 and rub it gently on the inside of the item being tested. If it is Bakelite, the swab will turn yellow. If a piece is lacquered, it may test negative with 409.
How do you test Bakelite with baking soda?
The Baking Soda Test – Dip a cotton swab into baking soda and rub it into a test spot on the item. Ex. a bracelet on the inside, brooch on the back etc. If the cotton swab turns a yellow tone you have a positive test.
How can you tell the difference between Bakelite and Celluloid?
Bakelite is a sturdy material and is heavier than Celluloid. Bakelite is denser and heavier than Celluloid. Hold two pieces of jewelry in your hands and compare the weight.
What is the rarest color of Bakelite?
Bakelite comes in a variety of colours: black, red, yellow, green, butterscotch, apple juice, orange, etc. The rarest Bakelite colours are purple and blue.
Is Bakelite always shiny?
The metal can have a copper, silver, or golden hue although most likely some type of shiny alloy rather than actual gold, copper, or silver. Pieces can be partially clad with metal or completely encased. Many of the pieces that are partially clad have metal over green marbled Bakelite.
How do I know if I have Bakelite or plastic?
Identifying by Weight Bakelite feels heavier when compared to some other types of plastics, like celluloid. Hold another type of plastic you have identified in one hand, and a piece you know to be Bakelite of approximately the same size in the other. You will often notice the heavier feel of Bakelite.
How can you tell real Bakelite from Amber?
Amber is lightweight, warm to the touch and sometimes has inclusions like insects, leaves and maybe even air and water bubbles. Amber is fossilized sap from extinct pine trees. It actually feels more like plastic or Lucite than rock or glass. Bakelite is very heavy.
How can you tell the difference between Bakelite and Catalin?
Bakelite is opaque, while catalin is often translucent (can often see this at the edges of an item). If the item is brightly colored jewelry or similar items, it is more than probably catalin.
How can I tell if something is Lucite?
If you put it under hot water, rub it vigorously or poke a hot pin into it it will have no smell. Catalin, bakelite and celluloid have chemical smells and casein smells like burnt milk. If it’s transparent or transparent with objects embedded in it (plastic pieces, flowers, coins, etc) it’s lucite.
How can you tell celluloid from plastic?
You can often see right through the plastic when held it is held up to a bright light. The easy and reliable test for celluloid is to place it under hot water for a few seconds, then smell it. Or your can rub it vigorously with your finger or a cloth to get the smell. Celluloid smells like camphor.
Is Bakelite worth money?
Value of Bakelite Jewelry Pieces. No matter what type of piece you have, genuine Bakelite jewelry is worth money. Many simple necklaces and bracelets sell for $100 or less, but more elaborate designs with multiple colors or intricate carving can sell for hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
What is Bakelite jewelry worth?
Generally, Bakelite jewelry sells for anywhere between $40 and $1,000 it all depends on the piece itself. On average, prices are frequently between $50 and $300, though older pieces (1920s to 1940s) and some bangles carry prices of $800 or more.
What is the most valuable Bakelite?
The most valuable Bakelite pieces are wide pieces with heavy, deep, and sometimes intricate carving, reverse carving and painting, or with complicated lamination. Dotted pieces are always very popular. Large figurals—pins, necklaces, etc. —have also held onto their value.
What is the difference between Bakelite and Lucite?
Bakelite should be stored carefully, although it is not as fragile as Celluloid. Lucite, an acrylic resin, was first marketed by DuPont in 1937, and it began to appear in costume jewelry around 1940. As with Bakelite, Lucite is a thermoset plastic, but it was much cheaper to produce.
Why was Bakelite discontinued?
Bakelite applications in conservation were discontinued in the 1940s because of certain disadvantages that soon became apparent. The lack of records and relevant information precludes any assumption on the extent of its use and in which institutions.
Is Bakelite plastic toxic?
These are incredibly dangerous chemicals. Extremely hazardous to your health, and also coincidentally what bakelite is made from, and often along with asbestos… even after it has been reacted to create bakelite, it is still extremely hazardous and nearly impossible to dispose of safely.
What is vintage Lucite?
Vintage Lucite(R), which was made to look like glass, can be found in jewelry and housewares. Lucite® is a modern material with a vintage past. The name refers to a form of acrylic plastic known chemically as polymethyl methacrylate. It has both the light weight of plastic and the hardness and sheen of glass.
How can you tell the difference between amber and plastic?
If you insert a hot needle into a plastic object, it will melt, however, if the object is made of real amber it will begin to crack. However, to distinguish the piece from other materials, make sure to smell the piece you have, and if it smells of pine-tree resin, it is probably genuine amber.
Does real amber float?
If the amber stone floats, then you know it is real. If it sinks, then you know you have a replica. Real amber stones can be found floating and washing ashore the Baltic Sea.
