by Julie Robinson Bakelite – It’s touched us all, and we’ve touched it in wall switches, jewelry, handles on toasters and cutlery and colorful radio cases. Bakelite was a chemical miracle of the 20th century. With its development, plastic moved up in status from mere substitute material to a symbol of modern culture. Dubbed the Material of a Thousand Uses by the Bakelite Corp., it was versatile and nonflammable. Bakelite was developed in the backyard laboratory of Leo Baekeland of Yonkers, N.Y., between 1907 and 1909. Baekeland was attempting to create synthetic varnish when he discovered that carbolic acid (phenol) and formaldehyde, when combined under certain conditions, resulted in a molasses-colored resin with unique and exceptional properties. Once cured, the phenol formaldehyde resin could be ground into powder and mixed with a variety of fillers to create a molding compound that was practically indestructible. Slate dust, asbestos, wood flour and ground walnut shells were all used for this purpose, but because of their dark color, molded Bakelite was limited to shades of black, maroon and brown. Baekeland started the General Bakelite Co. in 1911 in Perth Amboy, N.J. Up to 200,000 tons of the plastic material was produced annually. Bakelite was easily adapted to the growing needs of the electrical industry as it was resistant to heat, moisture and chemicals. Furthermore, it had excellent insulating properties, making it ideal for use in electrical components like switches, insulators, plugs and sockets. In 1927, Bakelite’s patent on phenol formaldehyde expired. That same year the American Catalin Corp. was founded. It pioneered a purified form of phenolic resin that did away with the dense fillers used in molded Bakelite. This development pushed the door of opportunity wide open for Catalin. The company introduced casting resins in 20 different colors. Not to be outdone by a newcomer, Bakelite Corp. quickly developed cast phenolic resin and began to advertise it in thousands of colors. In reality their recipes were exactly the same as American Catalin, except they experimented more with dye saturation and mixing colorants with clear resin to create mottled and swirled effects. By the middle of the 1930s several competitors began manufacturing phenolics, thus forcing the price of Bakelite and Catalin down. Durez and American Phenolic began making thermoset molding compounds, while Fiberloid and the Albany Billiard Ball Co. – both former celluloid manufacturers – developed their own brands of phenolic casting resin. Fiberloid introduced Opalon in lapis lazuli, mottled red, alabaster, onyx and mottled walnut. Marblette Corp., of Long Island City, N.Y., and Knoedler, of Lancaster, Pa., also made colorful cast phenolic resins that were fabricated into a myriad of small components for jewelry, game pieces, umbrella and cutlery handles. Applications The introduction of electrical power gave rise to a myriad of labor-saving devices that utilized Bakelite and Catalin in one way or another. The modern appearance, durability and hygienic qualities of plastic made it superior to traditional substances. Bakelite quickly replaced wood and metal in telephones, clock and barometer cases, as well as knobs and handles on small appliances like electric irons, toasters and cookware. Colorful Catalin cutlery handles and novelty napkin rings dressed up the table and brightened the kitchen. In 1933 Bakelite Corp. began to make wood-tone radio cabinets of compression-molded phenolics. Thermosetting plastics were suited to radio cabinets because they resisted heat generated by radio tubes. It wasn’t long before colorful, modernistic Catalin radios began to make their appearance. Today collectors seek these over the dark, compression molded examples from the early days of production. American Catalin built all the cabinets for Fada, Garod, GE L570 and RCA – with the exception of the Little Nipper that was manufactured by Bakelite Corp. In 1937 Emerson introduced the AU-190 cathedral cabinet, which was made of Opalon by Fiberloid. In 1938 Emerson hired the Marblette Corp. to make the rest of its cast phenolic radio cabinets. By 1936, two-thirds of all costume jewelry made in the United States was fabricated from cast phenolic resin. Collectors today may wonder why this jewelry commands such high prices. The answer lies in the fabricating process, which was labor-intensive and lengthy. First, molds had to be made by dipping a steel master into molten lead. Once enough molds were assembled, the phenolic resin was prepared and carefully poured into each mold cavity by hand. If special swirled or mottled colors were desired, the technician needed to carefully combine resins as they were being cast. Once filled, the molds were wheeled into a huge oven to be baked at 176 degrees Fahrenheit until the resin cured. Curing time was dependent upon color: dark red and blue cured in three to four days while whites (now butterscotch) took six to eight days. Once the cast resin was cured, it was removed from the lead molds using air hammers. Since this always resulted in damaged molds, the broken pieces were tossed back into the vat of molten lead and melted down for reuse. To make jewelry components, shaped or hollow phenolic rods were cut into individual pieces (much like a loaf of bread is sliced) and then carved and machined by hand for added adornment. Once the decorative carving was complete, pieces were finished by tumbling or were buffed on a polishing wheel. As the trend for modernism evolved, the distinctive Art Deco style of the late 1920s was overtaken by Streamline Modern design. Sharp-stepped sides of skyscrapers softened into curves, while boxy trains and automobiles were replaced with sleek, fluid lines that created the illusion of speed and motion. Phenolic plastic became a symbol of progress and modernity by offering new opportunity for designers in products and packaging. By the late 1930s, streamline design trends were reflected in a myriad of plastic moldings for personal use. Shiny surfaces, modernistic curves, waterfall fronts and facades that were made to look like car grills all found their way into jewelry, small home appliances and decorative household objects. Bakelite and Catalin facts • Bakelite articles made by compression molding are much thinner than those made from cast phenolic resins because the fillers used in the molding compound made the plastic much stronger. • Cast phenolic resins were not as durable as compression molded phenolic compounds because they shrank over time, often resulting in cracks. Catalin averaged a 4-percent shrinkage in the first 10 years. • Colorful cast phenolic articles have more collector appeal and are more expensive than dark compression-molded Bakelite articles. Cast phenolics were more expensive to produce because of the time involved in molding and fabricating. Today a dark Bakelite radio may sell for only $30, while a brightly colored Catalin radio can bring up to 50 times as much. Phenolic resin reacts to ultraviolet light by converting to phenyl alcohol, which is brownish in color. That is why so many Catalin items are amber colored. The effect turned original white to butterscotch, bright blue into drab olive, green into butterscotch and brilliant red marble into brown. • Color changes in cast phenolic articles are only surface deep. With careful attention, the original color may be restored by rubbing with a wet 250- 400 grit sanding paper, followed by buffing with a rouge compound and polishing with wax. |