| Plastic has been around longer than it's generally believed, the Victorians were the first to produce and use plastic on a regular basis. The very first plastic was unveiled by Alexander Parkes at the 1862 Great International Exhibition, in London. This substance, which the public dubbed Parkesine, was an organic material derived from cellulose that could be molded after heating, but retained its shape when it cooled. So, Alexander Parkes' plastic preceeded Bakelite by 45 years, and earns the title of the first plastic.\n\n\nCelluloid Characteristics and Identification.\n\nCelluloid was one of the first plastics to be widely used and was originally developed in England in the 1850s and unveiled by Alexander Parkes. However, it was first commercialized in 1868 by John Wesley Hyatt, whose company eventually became the American Celluloid and Chemical Manufacturing Company and subsequently the Celanese Corporation. Jewelry made of Celluloid dates to around the 1890's and it was quite popular during the Art Deco period. Celluloid has characteristics which are different from other plastics. \n\n- Celluloid items tend to be thinner and lighter than Bakelite.\n\n- Celluloid is quite brittle and can crack when heated to higher temperatures. \n\n- Some celluloid pieces can even be flammable.\n\n- Whilst Celluloid is more brittle than Bakelite, it can still be bent or twisted. \n\n- Under hot water, most celluloid has a smell like vinegar. \n\n- Celluloid can be damaged by moisture, temperature extremes, or chemicals. \n\n- Celluloid that has been stored in a closed environment for long periods can also dull quite dramatically and even crack. \n\n\nBakelite Characteristics and Identification.\n\n\nDespite not being the earliest plastic, Bakelite is the most highly collected vintage plastic. Patented by Dr. Leo Baekeland in 1909, it was the fisrt purely synthetic plastic. Other companies quickly followed suit with similar materials like catalin, which was used in radios and other consumer goods. \n\nBakelite was very widely used and in demand for radios, jewelry, kitchen utensils and dinnerware, and as decorative features on other items like cocktail shakers. Bakelite is a type of plastic that is made under heat and it cannot be recycled. Bakelite was a very flexible material which could be molded, carved, inlaid, laminated and it could be produced in almost any color and it can be opaque, translucent, or transparent. \n\n- Bakelite often changes colour with age, with whites usually turning more cream colored for example. \n\n- The exposed areas of Bakelite can darken and acquire scratches, and a type of patina forms on the surface. \n\n- Most, but not all, Bakelite will emit a distinct acidic smell when placed under hot water. \n\n- Bakelite is a sturdy material and is heavier than celluloid or lucite. \n\n\nLucite Characteristics and Identification.\n\nLucite plastic items are becoming increasingly popular and indeed many of the vintage Lucite box purses are highly sought after today. Lucite is a resin created by DuPont in 1937 and was at it's most popular from the early 1940's to the mid 1950's, although it is produced and widely used today. Lucite was used frequently in jewelry, because it was inexpensive and easy to work. Like Bakelite, Lucite could be manufactured in most any color and can run from opaque to transparent and is often found embedded with glitter, rhinestones, sea shells, and other materials. \n\n\nTesting Antique and Vintage Plastics\n\n\nThe easiest way to test and identify vintage plastics is with the hot water test. Hold the piece under hot water for around 30 seconds and then smell it. \n\n- Celluloid smells like vinegar.\n\n- Bakelite has a very distinct acidic odor somewhat like a shellac. \n\n- Lucite and other plastics tend not to have any distinctive odour.\n\n\nPlease note that this information has been obtained from a variety of sources, and it is to the best of our knowledge correct. However, Steptoes Dog does not accept responsibility regarding its accuracey, or any adverse occurances, damage or injury resulting from the use of this information. |
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