The only jewelry we cheerfully encourage you to sniff before buying.
Bakelite is the warm, heavy, glossy plastic of 1930s bangles, carved brooches, radio cabinets and butterscotch kitchen handles. It was the first fully synthetic plastic, it hasn't been made for jewelry in generations, and collectors hunt for it. Because so many later plastics get labeled Bakelite by mistake, knowing how to test a piece matters. Here's what Bakelite is, what it looks like and every test collectors use, including Simichrome.
Our butterscotch Bakelite carving fork is in the shop now for $20, and it's the only one we have.
See the fork →
What Bakelite is
Bakelite is a phenolic resin, made from phenol and formaldehyde. The chemist Leo Baekeland developed it in New York in 1907, and it is generally considered the first plastic made entirely from synthetic materials. Once Bakelite has been heated and set, it never melts again. That resistance to heat is why it was used for electrical parts, pot handles and kitchen tools long before anyone thought of it as jewelry.
Bakelite and Catalin
The original Bakelite was mixed with fillers such as wood flour. That made it strong, but it also limited it to dark colors, mostly brown and black. When the Bakelite patent expired in 1927, the American Catalin Corporation began making a version without fillers. Catalin was cast, then carved and polished by hand, and it came in bright colors and marbled mixes.
Most of the colorful bangles, carved pins and kitchen handles that collectors call Bakelite are really Catalin. The antique trade uses the word Bakelite for both, and so does this guide. Both are tested the same way.
When it was made
Bakelite jewelry and housewares were at their height in the 1930s and early 1940s. They were cheerful and affordable during the Depression, and department stores sold them by the armful. Production dropped off around World War II, and afterward newer, cheaper plastics such as Lucite took its place.
What it looks like
- Color: butterscotch, clear amber (collectors call it apple juice), cherry red, deep green, brown and black, along with marbled mixes of two or more colors.
- Changed color: the surface of Bakelite darkens and yellows with age. Pieces that started out white are now cream or butterscotch, so a bright, pure white piece deserves a closer look.
- Weight: it feels heavier and more solid than later plastics of the same size.
- Sound: two pieces tapped together make a deep clunk, not a light click.
- No seams: carved jewelry and handles were finished by hand, so you won't find a raised mold line running around the piece.
- Wear: expect fine surface scratches and softened edges on the carving. A piece that looks brand new is another reason to test.
How to test for Bakelite
Start with the gentlest test and work up, and use more than one. No single test settles it.
1. The hot water test
Hold an edge of the piece under very hot running tap water for up to 30 seconds, then smell it right away. Bakelite gives off a sharp chemical smell, often described as formaldehyde or fresh shellac. It's hard to miss once you know it. No smell at all usually means a later plastic such as Lucite. This test does no harm to the plastic, so it comes first. Skip it on pieces with string, wood, paint, glued stones or metal parts that shouldn't get wet.
2. The rub test
No sink handy? Rub a smooth spot hard with your thumb until it feels hot, then smell the spot. You're looking for the same sharp smell. This is the test to use at an estate sale or a flea market table.
3. The Simichrome test
Simichrome is a pink metal polish that comes in a tube, sold at hardware stores and online. Put a tiny dab on a cotton swab or a soft white cloth and rub it on a hidden spot, such as the inside of a bangle or the back of a pin, for a few seconds. If the swab turns yellow, anywhere from pale yellow to a brownish mustard, the piece has tested positive. The swab turns yellow no matter what color the piece is. Wipe the spot clean when you're done.
Two things to know. The yellow comes from the aged surface of the plastic, so a piece that has been freshly polished or refinished may not react. And Simichrome is a polish, so keep the test spot small and gentle. A few longtime dealers have stopped using it for testing because it can now and then leave a residue on plastics that aren't Bakelite. That's the reason to back it up with the hot water test.
4. The Formula 409 test
This works the same way with a household cleaner. Dampen a cotton swab with Formula 409, rub a hidden spot for a few seconds and look for the same yellow on the swab. Wash the spot right away with mild dish soap and warm water, then dry it. Many dealers like 409 because it's cheap, easy to find and doesn't strip the finish.
5. Scrubbing Bubbles
Scrubbing Bubbles bathroom cleaner was once used the same way, and you'll still see it recommended. It is harsh enough to strip the shine off the spot you test, so we don't suggest it. Use Simichrome or 409.
6. Sound and weight
Tap two pieces together and listen for the deep clunk, and feel for that solid weight in your hand. These are good first clues when you're shopping, but they aren't proof. Back them up with the hot water test when you get home.
The test to skip: the hot pin
Old guides tell you to press a red-hot pin into the piece, because the pin won't sink into Bakelite. Don't do it. It leaves a permanent mark that lowers the value, and if the piece turns out to be celluloid, which burns easily, it can catch fire.
When the tests don't work
- Black pieces and some red ones often leave little or no yellow on a swab. The hot water test is the better guide for those.
- Pieces that have been refinished, sanded, heavily polished, lacquered or coated may not react to Simichrome or 409.
- Very dirty pieces can give a muddy result. Wipe the spot clean first.
- A piece whose finish was stripped by harsh cleaners in the past may no longer test well.
This is why collectors weigh everything together: the smell, the swab, the weight, the sound and the signs of age.
Bakelite lookalikes
- Celluloid: an earlier plastic that is thinner and much lighter. Warmed up, it smells like camphor, the scent of a vapor rub. It burns easily, so keep it away from heat.
- Lucite: a clear acrylic that became popular in the 1940s and 1950s. It's lighter than Bakelite and has no smell under hot water.
- Galalith: a plastic made from milk protein, popular in Europe. It can give off a milky smell when warmed.
- Fakelite: a collector's nickname for modern resin copies sold as old Bakelite. Some are said to pass a swab test, but they don't have the right smell under hot water.
See the difference in person: early plastics in the shop
Bakelite and its cousins side by side. Each one is a single piece, so when it's gone, it's gone.
Caring for Bakelite
- Wash by hand with mild soap and warm water, and dry right away. Don't soak it.
- Keep it out of the dishwasher. The heat and detergent dull the finish, and that goes for Bakelite handled kitchen tools too.
- Store it away from direct sun and heat, which fade and darken the color.
- A little Simichrome on a soft cloth brings back the shine on a dull piece.
- Store pieces separately so they don't scratch each other.
Bakelite in the shop
We have a butterscotch Bakelite handle carving fork in the shop now, a mid-century piece with steel tines and a safety guard. More Bakelite is on the way, and we'll add it here as it's listed. Every piece is the only one we have.
Keep browsing:
Mid-century jewelry →Vintage kitchen & dining →Treasures under $10 →
Keep reading: What Is Celluloid? · What Is Lucite? · What Is Thermoset Plastic?
Have you ever found Bakelite at a yard sale or in a family jewelry box? Tell us what it was and how you knew.