How Old Is This Funky Piece?

[1940fc]

Appears to be celluloid  and looks like it was made using one of those cookie presses...where ya just shoot the dough out in a ribbon & cut it off.  A bit rough at the ends (like where it was 'cut off') and ya can see it on the back also.

Don`t think I`ve ever seen a pin back attached this way..just curious as to possible age

[bluedaemon23]

Looks like pulled taffy! Warm it up and sniff - with celluloid the nose knows. If you go "peYEW, mothballs!" it's the real thing.

[1940fc]

Mornin! Just did the hot water test.. the pin has a 'medicinal' smell (definitely not vinegary) so apparently it is the older product.

From what I read online this would put it prior to  1927 when the vinegar was added making it a safer product?

[1940fc]

Glad I read up on testing some of these plastics..just did the hot water test on another item I was sure was just acrylic..whew!  Stinky stinky!    Definitely is bakelite from what I have read this morning

[volemus]

heee.. looks like a delish piece of white cream licorice!

AFA the bakelite suspect, it might pay to follow up with one of the chemical (or the toothpaste) tests to confirm.

[arlene_v]

 Yes, try to test the other item with SImichrome or toothpaste. This way it also confirms the smell for you in future. 

[1940fc]

Toothpaste?  never heard of using that!  What do I do & what result am I supposed to get?

[arlene_v]

Here's what you do: put a dab of toothpaste (white toothpaste is best although I use blue toothpaste too) on a q-tip. Rub against the surface of the piece your are testing ... and the result is exactly the same as Simichrome ..nicotine yellow residue on q-tip upon rubbing  = positive for Bakelite. Rinse the area to clean. This is a really simple test and I have tested dozens of items and it really does work .. great when you don't have Simichrome handy.

I'll post a pic in the morning  for you, Sarah to compare the result of a positive for Bakelite with Simichrome and a positive with toothpaste. 

[arlene_v]

Q-tip on right: positive test for Bakelite with SImichrome

Q-tip on left at an angle: positive test for Bakelite with toothpaste

[1940fc]

Thanks so much for that tip,  I did try my toothpaste (Crest pro-health) but didn`t get any result.  I remembered I had some Scrubbing bubbles &  tried that.

Here is result.  Item was clean (from 2 hot water tests). Between the stinky hot water test & this..am I safe in saying bakelite?  I do plan on ordering some of the Simichrome

[arlene_v]

I'm not seeing the q-tip too well, and also not able to really make out the colour of that brooch. If the result is yellow then yes, this will be testing as Bakelite. Could I bother you and ask for a picture of the back of the brooch? I am just curious to see more of it. 

As for the toothpaste test, I am really not sure why you aren't getting a result. I have never had a false negative with this test, always a bright yellow, or at the very least a trace of yellow, you do need to rub quite firmly, not just a gentle rub ....I am not sure why this happened. Hmmmm.  Interesting. 

[1940fc]

Q-tip is indeed yellow.  Here is the pin in question with large pics. The pin attachment has been both countersunk & glued.

 I have seen others like this sold as bakelite..but since we all know how that goes..want to be sure. 

[arlene_v]

Thanks so much Sarah for those pics. I must admit that I am not familiar with this particular colour of Bakelite, but if it has passed the sniff test and the Scrubbing Bubbles test, and there are others like this out there, I *think* you are safe to call it Bakelite. Maybe you should wait to get the Simichrome? That really is the "gold standard" and that way you can be 100% sure.

I was just reading up about toothpaste and see that there is a dire warning not to use it to polish vintage Bakelite as it will cause scratching . Repeated over and over on different sites, but all referencing the exact same article as per usual on the Internet. I then researched how abrasive toothpaste is and yes, it can be very abrasive depending on the toothpaste.

Soooooo .....despite the fact that I have used it over and over to test Bakelite and it has caused no damage whatsover,  I think it prudent to mention this. 

[1940fc]

Thank you for all your help, Arlene & Volemus. 

I am going to wait about re-listing this (I had  pulled it earlier) till I get some Simichrome for confirmation.  

[rain777blue]

Hi, That second circle pin looks like rootbeer bakelite to me..