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Vintage Jewelry, Antique Jewelry, Vintage Fashion Magazines and Fine Collectibles plus Jewelry by Vera Battemarco :: Bakelite, Lucite, Bangles
Vintage Bakelite, Early Plastics and Lucite Jewelry and Bangles
Bakelite is an early type of plastic invented in 1907 by the Belgium Leo Beakeland in his laboratory in Yonkers, New York. Beakeland arrived in the US at the end of the 19th Century. Soon it was used for the manufacturing of all types of household items, from radios to handles. Bakelite is as versatile as it is durable, and t was everywhere in the home in the 1920's. Combined with Chrome it is the quintessential Art Deco Machine Age look.
Around the Depression of the 1930's, Bakelite was a colorful, versatile and cheap jewelry making material. It could be carved, layered, combined, swirled and formed.
During WWII when metal restrictions were put in place, Bakelite, Celluloid and Lucite continued to be a colorful part of the Costume Jewelry design. After the war, it's luster faded until Andy Warhol arrived on the scene. He loved shopping at fleamarkets and was an avid collector. After his passing in 1988, his extensive Bakelite Jewelry Collection was auctioned off at Sotheby's New York bringing Bakelite to the forefront once again.
Bakelite is still used to this day as Contemporary Designers search for old raw materials and incorporate them to their current collections.
To learn how we test Bakelite, Celluloid and similar materials, please read our article "How to Test Bakelite, Celluloid and Amber".
Bakelite, Lucite, Bangles
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Genuine Tortoise bangle from the Victorian Period measures 1" wide. It is 2 3/8" in diameter.
It is in wonderful condition with only minor surface scratching. The colors and patterns are wonderful.
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What could be more like Summer than the sound of a cicada? This one is specially nice, in spinach green Bakelite, hand carved and detailed with gold plated and scrolled ornament.
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Gorgeous vintage true Art Deco Period Bakelite necklace in yellow and black. A wonderful design that is not often seen, large graduated beads are hollowed out and used as bead caps. This also makes the necklace lighter than most, the black beads are hollowed out end to end. The material has bee...
Price: $185.00
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Vintage Art Deco carved Apple Juice Bakelite large fan shaped pendant. It measures 3 1/2" wide by 3" tall including the bail. Measurements are approximate. The bail is coiled but opened so you can slide the pendant onto a thick chain or strand of beads. It looks fabulous on a strand of black c...
Price: $48.00
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Yes, this necklace is made of some type of early plastic, but you could not tell unless you looked really close! The big, bold and beautiful beads are clear mint green/Ceyladon and are so light! Only plastic would be so comfortable to wear on this big size.
Price: $35.00
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Another find from my last trip to Rio de Janeiro! A Fabulous Vintage Brazilian Lucite Clear Bangle with Deep Turquoise Color Bits. It is wide and bold made in clear Lucite. It is populated with suspended deep Turquoise color bits of resin that appear to float inside, although they do not actuall...
Price: $135.00
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Lovely reverse painted rose in clear Lucite pendant measures 2" tall by 2" wide. The rose is filled in the back with some type of material resembling porcelain.
Comes with it's own silver tone chain, which is 15" long. The chain has a great old style hook type filigree clasp.
Price: $35.00
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What a fun Summer bangle! Vintage 1980s, picked up in Rio de Janeiro during my last trip. It measures 1 1/4" wide by 3/8" thick. The edges are straight and not beveled, just slightly rounded.
Price: $120.00
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Forbidden Fruit is the name given to a collection of figural fruit pins made in Austria in the 1950s. They are made of Celluloid material with embedded rhinestones. This bunch of grapes is white with light green rhinestones. The stem and leaves are gold plated metal, the leaves are enameled.
Regular price:
$65.00
Price: $45.00
save 31%
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Beautiful long French Bakelite feather shaped brooch marked "France" on the reverse. Beautiful deep wine red with black vein, it measures 3 7/8" long by almost 1" at the widest point. It is in beautiful vintage condition and dates from the 1970s.
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Carmen Miranda would have adored this cute set of brooch and earrings! A menagerie of tiny tropical fruits laid out on a bed of green leaves. Made of plastic, each one is attached separately to a gold tone metal base. Earrings are clip backs.
Price: $48.00
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Gorgeous heavily engraved Antique Victorian bangle bracelet in Yellow Gold Filled. Beautiful flower and vine pattern on textured background covers the outside. Measures 3/8" wide. It is domed and 3/16" thick at the highest point. Inside measurement is 2 3/8" by 2 1/8" front to back. Fits a wrist...
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This vintage Celluloid brooch is really oversized at 4" long. The widest point measures almost 1 1/2". It is unmarked and has an early clasp type. Circa 1930's, great to keep your scarf in place and very Art Deco. It is in excellent vintage condition.
Price: $28.00
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