raincitytreasures
Registered Guest
I have a box purse that appears to me marbelized lucite, but the tag inside says "made in China." I don't think this is vintage because of the tag and wonder if it's really lucite. It's a dark gray, black marble.
Is there a test for lucite?
- Thread starter raincitytreasures
- Start date
Hi Carolyn
I am more used to tests to prove that something is NOT bakelite or celluloid but am not as familiar with lucite tests. I am going to fish around for that. The other common plastic confused with lucite is acrylic.
We do have a resident expert on lucite here, so if you post a picture Leigh might be able to just tell you right off the bat.
The made in china tag would confuse me too, and throw a monkey wrench to make me think not lucite, but i can't say for sure... there were some brands like JR of FLorida that started making things in china later on, but i don't quite know if any of the bigger lucite makers went that route. I know that it was no longer made here after a time because of toxic danger to the people in the factory making it.....but i can't pinpoint a date for that.
Chris
I am more used to tests to prove that something is NOT bakelite or celluloid but am not as familiar with lucite tests. I am going to fish around for that. The other common plastic confused with lucite is acrylic.
We do have a resident expert on lucite here, so if you post a picture Leigh might be able to just tell you right off the bat.
The made in china tag would confuse me too, and throw a monkey wrench to make me think not lucite, but i can't say for sure... there were some brands like JR of FLorida that started making things in china later on, but i don't quite know if any of the bigger lucite makers went that route. I know that it was no longer made here after a time because of toxic danger to the people in the factory making it.....but i can't pinpoint a date for that.
Chris
raincitytreasures
Registered Guest
Here's a photo
TheVintagePeddler
Alumni
I found this info:
The best and safest way to test and identify vintage plastics is with simichrome polish which you can purchase at most hardware stores. It's somewhat expensive, but it is also great for polishing Bakelite, silver, and most any metal. Polished Bakelite will leave a yellow residue on the cloth regardless of what color the Bakelite is. Another good way to test for Bakelite is to hold it under hot water for about 30 seconds and then smell it. Bakelite has a very distinct odor somewhat like a shellac. If there is no odor, it's likely the piece is Lucite Dow Bathroom Cleaner is widely used to test vintage plastics, but you have to be very careful not to harm any gloss finishes on the the piece being tested. Test this method on a small area first on the back or inside of a piece. Spray a small amount of Dow Cleaner on a swab and rub it on the test area for a few seconds. If the swab develops a yellow color regardless of the color of the plastic, the piece is probably Bakelite To be safe, wash the tested area immediately with warm water since it can damage the finish. You can also use Formula 409 in the same way as Dow, and it's probably safer for the Bakelite You can strip the finish or gloss from Bakelite if you rub too hard, making it dull and hard to restore. If you inadvertently do this, use simichrome polish to attempt to restore the finish. If necessary, repeat the polishing several times. Some people also use car wax to attempt this, but personally I prefer simichrome. It is possible for Bakelite to fail one of these tests if the piece is dirty, has an applied finish or sealant not original to the piece, or which has a damaged finish.
The best and safest way to test and identify vintage plastics is with simichrome polish which you can purchase at most hardware stores. It's somewhat expensive, but it is also great for polishing Bakelite, silver, and most any metal. Polished Bakelite will leave a yellow residue on the cloth regardless of what color the Bakelite is. Another good way to test for Bakelite is to hold it under hot water for about 30 seconds and then smell it. Bakelite has a very distinct odor somewhat like a shellac. If there is no odor, it's likely the piece is Lucite Dow Bathroom Cleaner is widely used to test vintage plastics, but you have to be very careful not to harm any gloss finishes on the the piece being tested. Test this method on a small area first on the back or inside of a piece. Spray a small amount of Dow Cleaner on a swab and rub it on the test area for a few seconds. If the swab develops a yellow color regardless of the color of the plastic, the piece is probably Bakelite To be safe, wash the tested area immediately with warm water since it can damage the finish. You can also use Formula 409 in the same way as Dow, and it's probably safer for the Bakelite You can strip the finish or gloss from Bakelite if you rub too hard, making it dull and hard to restore. If you inadvertently do this, use simichrome polish to attempt to restore the finish. If necessary, repeat the polishing several times. Some people also use car wax to attempt this, but personally I prefer simichrome. It is possible for Bakelite to fail one of these tests if the piece is dirty, has an applied finish or sealant not original to the piece, or which has a damaged finish.
Thanks Marie!
raincitytreasures
Registered Guest
Thanks so much. I use mostly natural products, will pick up some Simichrome. I knew I'd seen the info somewhere, but my searches proved fruitless.
If anyone has found any other methods, please chime in!