“Bakelite, a form of plastics that we associate with kitchenware, jewelry, and radio cases, had it’s birth in 1907. Chemist Leo Hendrick Baekeland was working on developing effective insulating material for the burgeoning electricity industry. Utilizing a combination of pressure and high temperatures he discovered an amazingly versatile and resilient material that many have come to love: Bakelite.” as reported by authors Jim and Barb Mauzy.

Today, collecting Bakelite is at an all time high – at least for kitchenware and jewelry. Consequently, true Bakelite items can be quite pricey. Make sure you know how to recognize the real thing. Many replicas are reported to be found especially at flea markets. In her article, Learning to Recognize the Genuine Article, Pamela Wiggins gives more tips on testing Bakelite.

Grandma’s Treasures Online offers a Bakelite kitchen collectible and Bakelite Jewelry collectible.

Are you a Bakelite collector? Please, share your experiences and something about your collection. Also, any advise to new collectors in Bakelite would be appreciated.