Bakelite ... Jewelry, Purses, Radios, Mah Jong Tiles and More!

Bakelite is very popular on ebay. Jewelry and Mah Jong Tiles are rare finds. However you have to be careful because there are a lot of fakes out there. This site is dedicated to my love of Bakelite products. Here is some great information about products and how to spot fakes.

What is Bakelite?

Bakelite () is a material based on the thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride, developed in 1907?1909 by Belgian Dr. Leo Baekeland. Formed by the reaction under heat and pressure of phenol (a toxic, colourless crystalline solid) and formaldehyde (a simple organic compound), generally with a wood flour filler, it was the first plastic made from synthetic components. It was used for its electrically nonconductive and heat-resistant properties in radio and telephone casings and electrical insulators, and was also used in such diverse products as kitchenware, jewellery, pipe stems, and children's toys. In 1993 Bakelite was designated an ACS National Historical Chemical Landmark in recognition of its significance as the world's first synthetic plastic.New Products

The retro appeal of old Bakelite products and labor intensive manufacturing has made them quite collectible in recent years.

Bakelite AG (a German company) claims to own the trademark in the f...

read the rest of the Wikipedia article

Bakelite Radios

BAKELITE RADIO, SUNSET MOTIF, V&A MUSEUM, 1997 by A30yoyo

Dad's Bakelite Radios by Naughty Secretary Club

Powered by Flickr

Bakelite Link List

Top 6 Ways to Test Bakelite for Authenticity: Top 6 Ways to Test Bakelite for Authenticity

While you'll never use the hot pin test to determine Bakelite authenticity, since some older plastics (like celluloid) are flammable and a hot pin can be dangerous to not only the plastic but to you as well, don't worry. There are many other ways to test Bakelite that are much safer and several of them only require your senses to accomplish. It's good to employ more than one of these tests until you get very comfortable identifying Bakelite.
Bakelite Delight: We fabricate unique jewelry and other items from vintage bakelite, and are big fans of the Art Deco era.
Bakelite The Company: The Bakelite Group is one of the world's leading manufacturers of thermosets.
Bakelite: Interesting Thing of the Day: Bakelite: Interesting Thing of the Day
Guest Article by Jackie Chappell
Gale's Bakelite Guide: Gale's Bakelite Guide - This is a great site with information about fakes, testing and history.
M. Schon: Great selection of vintage Bakelite jewelry.

Bakelite Phones

Rare red 312 Bakelite Telephone by Old Telephones

Very rare Green 332 Bakelite Telephone by Old Telephones

Black 332 Bakelite Telephone by Old Telephones

GPO black bakelite 312 series, 1950's by granty

GPO black bakelite 332 series, 1950's by granty

Powered by Flickr

Bakelite Books