How can you identify Bakelite?
3 min read
Asked by: Joshua Pettigrew
Using Formula 409 Cleaner 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. Black Bakelite pieces often fail this test as well.
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 will emit a smell like formaldehyde when placed under hot water. 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.
Can Bakelite be clear?
Yes, Bakelite jewelry can be transparent in color, too. These colors vary, like with the solid color pieces shown above, but are most often found in yellow, green, and red.
What is Bakelite 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.
Does Bakelite glow under black light?
It doesn’t fluoresce. You get a surface reflection but no reaction. The Fluorescence is generally a muddy green color.
How can you tell ivory from Bakelite?
You could look at it from two different angles. And from one angle it will have parallel lines and sort of on the side at another angle you might see a crosshatch pattern.
Does Bakelite smell like vinegar?
A good casual/simple test is to rub a finger rapidly across the surface of the jewelry generating a little friction/heat. Bakelite will smell like formaldehyde; celluloid will smell like mothballs/pinesap/vinegar (it’s made with camphor); and Lucite has no smell.
How can you tell the difference between Bakelite and catalin?
Bakelite only comes in dark colors, usually black or dark brown. Catalin can come in a wide variety of color colors, including bright colors and marbling. Bakelite is opaque, while catalin is often translucent (can often see this at the edges of an item).
What’s the difference between Lucite and Bakelite?
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 is the rarest color of Bakelite?
cherry amber color
A large strands of red Bakelite beads can fetch $4,000 or more and are among the most valuable items to collectors, likely because the cherry amber color is fairly rare and the simple design is very wearable.
How can you tell vintage Lucite?
Early Plastics : Identifying Lucite
- Lucite was a popular early form of plastic that is still used today. …
- Identifying antique plastic:
- Lucite has a slick feel and is fairly light in weight. …
- If you put it under hot water, rub it vigorously or poke a hot pin into it it will have no smell.
