Table of Contents
How do you know if something is Bakelite?
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.
What color is Bakelite?
Bakelite in solid colors is the most recognizable type even without employing testing measures. The most readily found colors are yellow, ranging from butter yellow to dark butterscotch, followed by various shades of green.
Why did they stop using Bakelite?
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.
How do you test cherry amber Bakelite?
In a bowl that is heat resistant add very hot water, it’s ok to use the tap as long as it is very hot but not boiling. Dip the piece in question into the water for a second or two. Bakelite will almost immediately have a terrible smell, it will smell like well, formaldehyde.
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 do you know 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.
Does Bakelite come in red?
Bakelite comes in deep rich colours, from mustard, caramel, reds, oranges and greens, through to tortoiseshell, burgundy and black. Transparent and marbled colours are also common, and “end of day” pieces were made from a mixture of colours mixed together at the end of the day and these can be particularly collectable.
How can you tell if a bangle is Bakelite?
The first quick thing to look for: Bakelite will never have mold or form markings on it. If you feel a line running around the center of a bangle, it is not Bakelite. Another way of identifying Bakelite is with Simichrome polish which is a pink polish made for cleaning metals.
Is Bakelite worth any 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 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.
What’s the difference between Bakelite and plastic?
Bakelite is the first synthetic plastic and is known as a “material of thousand uses” due to its versatile applications. The key difference between Bakelite and plastic is, Bakelite is the first synthetically produced thermosetting plastic with heat resistant and non-conductivity of electricity.
How do you clean Bakelite?
Steps to Clean the Bakelite: First, use a clean cloth to wipe away any loose dirt or debris. Apply a small amount of liquid metal polish onto a second clean cloth. Wipe the bakelite down, using the cloth to apply the polish with a scrubbing motion. Allow the polish to sit and dry to a film.
How can you tell the difference between bone and plastic?
The test consists of heating up the point of a needle until it’s red-hot and then pricking what you believe is your ivory carving. If the needle goes in, it’s plastic; if not, it’s probably ivory, or at least bone.
How can you tell if it is real ivory?
If an item is made of ivory, you will be able to see lines, or a grain. These lines are sometimes known as Schreger lines and occur when the tusks grow. These lines may appear V-shaped or look like cross hatching. Genuine ivory may also have the appearance of a wood grain or circular rings.
Is modern Bakelite 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 does polystyrene look like?
Polystyrene can be solid or foamed. General-purpose polystyrene is clear, hard, and brittle. It is an inexpensive resin per unit weight. As a thermoplastic polymer, polystyrene is in a solid (glassy) state at room temperature but flows if heated above about 100 °C, its glass transition temperature.
Does anyone still make Bakelite?
Bakelite stock is still manufactured and produced in sheet, rod and tube form for industrial applications in the electronics, power generation and aerospace industries, and under a variety of commercial brand names.
