Polyoxygenzylmethylenglycolanhydride.
Developed in 1907 by a Belgian chemist named Leo Baekeland.
It's plastic. Sort of.
Initially used mainly for radio and telephone casings and electrical insulation, it was later used for a multitude of things including toys, kitchenware and jewelry.
Named after its inventor, we call it Bakelite.
Given the inventor is Belgian, I went in search of a Bakelite souvenir. What better place to search than the Tongeren Antique Market.
I do a little research online and find out Bakelite has no distinct markings, but it is generally heavier than normal plastic and when rubbed, has the distinct odor of formaldehyde.
With this very limited information, we head to Tongeren this past Sunday morning for the Antique Market. We saw a few things like hair combs, dice, a trinket case, but still really no way to know for sure - is it or is it not Bakelite?
I was disappointed, but not to the point of giving up. There are lots of items online. It doesn't have quite the same appeal as happening upon that special "find" at a market, but in the end it's all the same I guess.
Now all I have to decide is whether I want steak knives, poker chips, corn cob skewers, or an alarm clock!
I have a thing about bakelite. My aunt had red scottie dog napkin holders with a glass tube for the eye. I have one of them cuz she knew I loved them and I lost the little glass eye many moons ago. I have a garage sale spatual with a bakelite handle. It just harkens back to the 50's and makes me smile. If you see a glass tube used for an eye, let me know. ;)
ReplyDelete