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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.
To learn how we test Bakelite, Celluloid and similar materials, please read our article "How to Test Bakelite, Celluloid and Amber".
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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.
Price: $65.00
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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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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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Beautiful engraved Victorian Revival bracelet by CarlArt for their DeMilo collection, in it's original box. Made in the early 1970s, it is marked on the inside of the clasp with the CarlArt logo, CA crossed by an arrow and 1/20 12k, which is the mark for 12k Gold Filled. Includes original box in ...
Price: $65.00
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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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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...
Price: $75.00
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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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Jade Look Lucite Gold Long Necklace measuring 29" long. Please notice the double spiral at the center, ready for a new pendant. It looks great as a bracelet also, wrapped around the wrist several times. The green Lucite beads are made to appear like Jade and are carved. A fun piece to add color...
Price: $25.00
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Sweet heart brooch in red and white celluloid or similar early plastic depicting a red heart trimmed with white lace and a red key. The heart is inscribed in white letter "The Key of My Heart For You".
Price: $18.00
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Fun and pretty set of brooch and earrings in clear Lucite with a reverse carved rose flower which seems to be enclosed in the material. It is very nicely done and dimensional. The overall shape is rectangular with large facets at the edge.
Price: $48.00
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Lovely clear Lucite and Sterling Silver sweetheart memento inscribed "S.W.P.A." on the top bar and "New Guinea, Doris & Al Forever, 1944". Isn't that sweet? Mostly considering WWII was raging and this couple was in the midst of the South Pacific Allied stage.
Price: $68.00
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Beautiful dimensional stag figural Celluloid brooch dating from the early 1900's. It is made in Ivory color as that was the fashion of the time.
Price: $30.00
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