My Christmas List

So it is Black Friday and the sales are on! I have been shopping for others but in the mean time I am finding a lot I love! Here are some of my favorites.

Antique Natural Pearl Strand with Gold Art Deco Diamond Clasp

Agate Beads Pendant Necklace 30in Long Vintage

Black Beauty - Wonderful Vintage Three Strand Glass Bead Necklace with Rhinestone Findings for Rescue

Vintage Amber Heart Earrings FREE SHIPPING

Happy shopping and have a great Thanksgiving!
Diana
Lucky's Vintage

Chandelier Crystal Jewelry Inspiration

I have always loved the chandelier crystals!

I have a number of sets of crystals for sale in my shop. Since I have quite a collection of them I have decided to work on a pendant for myself. It might take me a bit to get it done since I am not a jewelry maker. At this point I am just playing around with it and hoping to come up with something that I like. I am not happy with the design yet, but I thought I would show you what I was working on.



Here are some finished pieces the are presently for sale on Etsy that have given me inspiration.

Dessert Beauty by oldbutnew (a customer of mine)
when you find what you are looking for lariat necklace by dinosaurtoes
necklace 6-53 asymmetrical copper leaf flourish with vintage chandelier crystal by AdornmentsNYC
Alice Earrings by Kande
Boudoir by oldbutnew
Under Lock and Key by oldbutnew

These are some of the crystals for sale in Lucky's Vintage shop listed under SUPPLIES.

I hope these lovely pieces shown by these fabulous artists have given you some inspiration to try your hand at jewelry making and come up with your own design. If not, maybe you are off to make a purchase at one of the shops featured.

Long Weekend Vintage New Listings

Here are some of this weeks new listings in our shops. Feel free to stop by and see our other new and re-listed items. Have a great weekend!

Vintage STARBURST Clear Rhinestone Pin Brooch

Vintage PYREX Glass Beverage Carafe Pitcher Lemon Print

Retro Vintage 40's Apron

Vintage 70's WABASSO Marvel Press Spring Green 81 X 98 Flat Sheet

Diana
Lucky's Vintage

Huge Blatant Etsy Shop Self Promotions

Check out some of the fabulous new and latest listings in curiouskitty's shop!

Essential Black Vintage Mock Snakeskin Crocodile Flats Shoes 6 or 7

Set of Four Vintage 1950s Rose Tins
Vintage Leather Mushroom Handbag Clutch with Gold Clasp
Classic Vintage Manaco Black Patent Flats with Bows 8
Classic Vintage White Leather Pumps 8
Navy Rosette French Knot Stretchy Belt 1970s 1980s
Vintage Snow Angel Children's Knit Sweater
Vintage Gold Tone Flower Brooch Lapel Pin
Sparkly Silver Evening Clutch Bag with Chain

Some of Lucky's Vintage newest listings.

Vintage Set of Amber Teardrop Chandelier Crystal Prism with Octagon and Brass

Vintage 70s Cream Slip With Delicate Lace Trim S
Look at Ours 70s Vintage Brag Book
Vintage 60s Funky Photo Album
Vintage Lustreware Colorful Bread and Butter Plates Set of 5
Vintage 70s Linen Cross-stitched Tablecloth
Wabasso 70s Spring Flowers Multicolored Fabric Fitted Sheet Double
Vintage 70s Slip Mint Green Lace Trimed M/L
Vintage Chandelier Crystal Set of 3 Dangle Teardrop Set

All About Bakelite

{ This photo is of a Bakelite radio that's been in our family for years. It is a Northern Electric Baby Champ. }

The history of Bakelite is quite fascinating, as are many of the other stories of how different products/materials came to be. Sadly, I do not own any Bakelite personally, but I hope to come across some jewelry one day.

This is a wonderful site where I found some very helpful information about the history of Bakelite.

"A Belgian scientist named Dr. Leo Baekeland was responsible for the invention of Bakelite. In 1889 he immigrated the the United States, hoping for better career opportunities. In 1907 he was working as independent chemist when by accident he discovered the compound of carbolic acid and formaldehyde. When he tried to reheat the solidified compound he discovered it would not melt, no matter how high the temperature.

Shortly after that, he trademarked "Bakelite" as well as two other variations, "catalin" and "marblette" - which today are also referred to as Bakelite.

Bakelite was the first completely synthetic plastic. Because of its durability and beauty, its uses were limitless. Its popularity grew very quickly, and within 15 years it had taken the world by storm. You could find everything from electrical plugs to ornate jewelry made from Bakelite. It was even used on the dashboard face of the Mercedes Benz car. Because of his invention, Dr. Baekeland is seen as the father of the present plastics industry.

Bakelite could be produced in a wide array of colors, but the most common where white, brown, green and red. Pieces dating back to the 1920s-1940s has oxidized and developed a wonderful patina that is sometimes a completely different hue than the original color. For example, white often turns to butterscotch, light blue changes to forest green, and pink turns to orange.

Costume jewelry from the 1920s-1940s Bakelite era is highly sought after. So how do you determine if a piece is genuine Bakelite? There are a couple of fairly simple tests. Although not foolproof, they work pretty well.

1. Smell.

   When Bakelite is heated it has a very strong odor which comes from the carbolic acid in the composition. On some pieces you can release the smell simply by rubbing them hard with your thumb and creating heat. Others will need very hot water to release the odor. On some the odor is so faint you may not detect it.

2. Sound.

   When you tap two Bakelite pieces together they will make a deep clunking sound, rather than the higher pitched clack of acrylic or Lucite plastics. This test is the most unreliable because the density of the items affects the sound you hear.

3. Hot Pin Test.

   Bakelite is a thermoset plastic so it cannot be remolded with heat. To test if a piece is bakelite get a very very hot pin from an open flame source, then touch the pin to the item. If it is Bakelite it will not penetrate. It may give off the acid smell and it may leave a purple burn mark. If the pin penetrates or melts the plastic then it is not genuine Bakelite.

   Use caution when doing this test as it can devalue the Bakelite piece considerably, and it may do serious damage to other types of plastic should the piece turn out not to be genuine. If you proceed with this test be sure to find a very inconspicuous spot.

   Also if the material should be celluloid, it is very flammable and can be very dangerous. If you suspect the piece may be celluloid, I recommend you do not conduct this test. When ever you are conducting this test you should wear the appropriate safety equipment such as eye goggles and gloves.

4. Formula 409 / Scrubbing Bubbles / Simichrome.

   This product works very well to test whether an item is Bakelite. Make sure the item is clean, wet the end of a Q-tip with Formula 409 then touch it to the piece. If the Q-tip turns yellow then the piece is genuine.

   If you believe a piece is Bakelite but it doesn't pass the 409 test, don't count it out. Sometimes polished Bakelite will not react or pass the test.

Bakelite has always been known as "the material with 1000 uses," and it surely did earn this name. It is now treasured for its unique, irreproducible beauty. When the Bakelite patent expired in 1927, it was acquired by the Catalin Corporation that same year. They began mass production under the name "Catalin". The Catalin Corporation was responsible for nearly 70% of all phenolic resins that exist today.

Bakelite-Catalin was sold mainly to companies like Saks Fifth Avenue, Bonwit Teller, Woolworth's, and Sears. Much of the wealthy society fell into difficult financial times during the Great Depression and could no longer afford Tiffany diamonds or Cartier Jewelry.

Bakelite-Catalin took up the market slack with its colorful carved jewelry adorned with rhinestones. This jewelry was within the reach of all, and its popularity grew from the poorest to the wealthiest in society.

In 1942 Bakelite-Catalin stopped sales of their colorful costume jewelry in order to concentrate on the nation's wartime needs. The company produced thousands of products that found their way into the military.

By the end of the World War II, new technologies for molded plastics had been developed. These new products consisted of plastics such as Lucite,Fiberglass, Vinyl, and Acrylic - all which were molded.

And so Bakelite and Catalin become obsolete, except in the hearts of collectors who still pursue it today."

I hope you enjoyed learning a little bit more about Bakelite and where it all started. When I read the history of different vintage pieces, it just makes me treasure them even more!