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Collecting: Is It Bakelite or “Fakelite”?

Contemporary Bakelite reproductions made to look like known jewelry designs from the past, and fakes in designs never originally made during the historic Bakelite heyday, are causing even those who consider themselves to be expert, knowledgeable buyers to make purchasing mistakes. New reproductions and fakes are being made from a chemically similar material, and also from old Bakelite pieces and rod blanks.

Fakelite
Collectively known as ‘Fakelite,’ many false items are now able to pass various ‘tests’ devised by collectors to identify Bakelite. Because of this they are frequently misidentified as old originals. Fakelite has become increasingly problematic for collectors of genuinely old Bakelite jewelry pieces, as the potential for dramatic loss in value for their collections of authentic pieces is very real. It is important for everyone who buys or sells Bakelite jewelry to be on guard and to take the time to become educated on the issue.

If you are in denial that there are people out there seeking to profit by actively, and knowingly, marketing reproduction Bakelite jewelry as if authentically old, consider this solicitation found on a site that facilitates trade with companies in India:

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Buy Lead – WANTED : Bakelite bangle bracelets: US based Company seeking supplier of Bakelite Bangle Bracelets that pass the United States testing processes with Simichrome and 409 All Purpose Cleaner. Seeking Bakelite Bangle Bracelets in all widths, and 2 1/2″ (inside diameters), Carved if available.
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As the above advertisement indicates, new Bakelite formulas and fakes made from them do exist. So, the old tried and true method of ‘testing’ is not reliable for providing certainty about an object’s age and a ‘positive’ reaction shouldn’t be used alone for authentication.

Plastics Can Be Duplicated Today
Though this Quality Assurance article mainly concerns reproductions of Bakelite, vintage plastic items made of anything from Beetle-ware to Lucite can likewise be copied. And they probably will be, as soon as prices for older collectibles made of other plastics besides Bakelite rise high enough to begin to be more tempting. Where vintage plastics are concerned one would be a wise to remember modern chemists can duplicate the original formulas used to create any one of them.

Look For Appropriate Features
Other than using actual Bakelite as a base material, modern manufacturers can also make molds from original pieces in order to re-recreate popular figural pieces. They may add convincing hand-carved details, or simulate original colors. So, ideally, in order to authenticate an item accurately, it will meet multiple specific considerations that one expects to see in a vintage plastic jewelry piece.

Just as a knowledgeable collector/dealer of glass or pottery will observe other factors besides an obvious maker’s mark, the collector of Bakelite jewelry should try to train their eye to do the same.

Check aspects such as the appropriateness of design and its execution. Anachronistic artwork or findings are always a tip-off that an item is new. An example of an anachronism would be the presence of a motif popular in modern times but which was not popular, and so never used, during the time period suggested for the production of the item.

Expect Signs of Age
No matter how well taken care of, a truly vintage item logically must have at least some small signs pointing to true age. Not unlike older furniture, old Bakelite pieces tend to develop patina, by virtue of simply having been exposed to air and light for many years. For instance, you might look for the indication an outside surface is darker than an inside surface. Old Bakelite colors oxidized over time and mostly they are not the same today as they were when first produced.

A buyer who perhaps has not handled many authentic pieces might not know where to look for ‘patina’; or they might not be aware of what it shouldn’t look like. This can mean they may not be able to recognize its total absence on the new piece in their hand. Fakers rely on this. Be suspicious of pieces lacking patina, which show absolutely no sign of age or use.

Often, to explain the complete lack of patina, fakes will be represented as old Bakelite jewelry that has been stringently cleaned. While it is possible for this to be true, it is not logical. Most collectors prize original patina and generally would never drastically strip a piece in their possession. And if true, at the very least the value of the stripped piece has been diminished by the practice, because now there is nothing left to help surely differentiate it from a newly made item. For this reason stripped Bakelite should be considered to be very much lower in value than an identical piece still in possession of its original patina.

A Bakelite Jewellery Checklist
Each of these points may help provide a solid clue to identification of individual items:

1. Good patina – or the lack of it;
2. Shiny, spotless, brand new looking pins, findings or hinges;
3. Pins, findings or hinges that appear to have been falsely aged – much too rusty or abused;
4. The presence of attachment methods or findings never used on period items;
5. The overall ‘look’ of a piece seeming ‘too contemporary’ in color or style, or entirely different from anything documented in books dedicated to vintage Bakelite jewelry;
6. The presence of an anachronism, as defined in the article above;
7. Mold lines or seams – old Bakelite doesn’t have them;
8. Chalky white recessed surfaces in carved areas, announcing recent, poorly finished work;
9. Very sharp edges on carvings, another sign of recent work;
10. Glue that glows. Glue was not typically used in the manufacture of older Bakelite jewelry, but it may be present in some design elements on pieces from the 1950′s or if undisclosed repairs were made to older pieces. Use a blacklight to check whether glue is present, and if so, if it is old or new. New glue will glow brightly, while old glue does not.

Help Keep the Market for Bakelite Jewelry Honest
Because of the concerns we’ve mentioned, shops may find it easier to market authentic items by being sure to fully describe all characteristics that help to define them as truly vintage. This can also help to educate newer collectors about signs of authenticity. To that purpose, the checklist above can be used to remind you of other important features you’d want to mention in a listing besides just adding the single statement that an item, ‘Tests positive for Bakelite.’

For instance, mention the presence of patina or show in a picture exactly how any hardware or decorative aspects were attached. State whether or not a piece shows any evidence of mold seams. A knowledgeable buyer will want to see all sides, including the inside surface, of items like bangle or clamper-type bracelets, which to date have been the most widely faked objects. Describe any discoloration or signs of wear, like scratches. Show close-ups of carved details and make sure all photos are clear and not blurry. Check for larger views if available.

Note that testing of any kind was not included in the above checklist. This is because, while familiar chemical testing may still be useful for determining if an item is in fact made of Bakelite, for too long such testing has been relied upon as sole ‘proof’ an item is old. And that is a claim that simply cannot be supported by known facts

Realistically, authentication as to age for any type of item should never rest solely on a single feature or characteristic, or only on the claim an item came from an ‘estate.’

An item should be able to date itself. And it will do so, if you know what to look for and you allow it to ‘speak’ to you about its past.

About the Author

Karen Frishman serves as Director of Marketing for Ruby Lane, an online mall hosting individually-owned shops specializing in antiques and art, vintage collectibles and jewelry. Visit Ruby Lane

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