Repro Lucite Purses?

P

Patentleathershoes

VFG Veteran
VFG Past President
It has been brought to my attention that there are repro lucite purses now. I knew about "fakelite" - fake bakelite trying to pass as bakelite, Repro Bakelite which is advertised as fake to get the "look" and through searching i just saw a lot of examples about "repro lucite' jewelry.

To me, but then again i have only seen pictures and don't see the real thing, it looks more transparent than a vintage bag but, but then again maybe it is just because it does not have any rubs or scratches. They are advertised as "from the original molds"

Has anyone encountered this yet? I am trying to research/read up what i can about it. Just like other repros I am doubting if the "formula" of the materials is identical.

Chris
 
This should be one of those things, like the re-issued 1959 Barbie, that is marked so you will know you have a repro. Nobody wants a fake, but I like the idea of making reproductions, like ancient Egyptian jewellery in Museum gift shops.
 
well you are right...they will probably mark em in some way. the price is more attractive if you want to carry it around and put the vintage one on the shelf so it won't be damaged.

someone asked me who is making them and i don't know
 
I heard that one of the big designers has come out with a really nice lucite purse that's as nice as the 50s lucite, but I haven't seen it. I think it's Prada or Chanel. Also, there were repros done in the 60s, they're usually marked Japan, Hong Kong, etc and look very much like the 50s lucite purses but lack the quality and nice details. It's not uncommon to see the repros being sold as orginal 50s versions.

Jim
www.JimSmileyVintageClothing.com
 
Even if not academically the "originals" I still find the 60s versions still well received by collectors as they are still in the realm of vintage. Perhaps not as much by the hardcore lucite collectors as the 50s are, but to someone who collects purses in general, or is more specifically buying to wear or use them, they are still very pleased. (or collectors "trade up" when they find one even older)

Here is an example of a purse being sold as modern lucite. This would appear more mass marketed than the Chanel or Prada you are referring to (which i have not seen yet either, give us a heads up if you get to see one in person!). It has already sold and I do not know the seller, so I am neither endorsing or retracting...but providing for anyone's curiosity.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=63852&item=6719445254

Chris
 
There's usually at least one high end desginer that puts out a lucite bag every year. Ferragamo had one out a few years back that made my heart pitter patter. But these aren't normally modeled after the vintage bags.

I have never seen or held one of the new repros in person, but there's been a lot of chatter about them in the collector circles. From what I've read, they're considerably lighter than the originals and probably made of a more modern type of acrylic. (Sort of like the difference between holding a 50s Wilardy versus a 60s Hong Kong made Walbourg.) The only ones I've seen photos of are basic clear models such as those sold by the seller in the auction posted. It's unlikely that the more elaborate bags will be reproduced because of manufacturing cost prohibitions, the illegality of many of the chemicals once used to make them --- at least in the US, and the closely guarded manufacturing methods.
 
Thanks for elaborating, Leigh.

Maybe the market is the "wearers" or the same nostalgia machine that has instigated the reproductions of so many classic toys. That way you can have a head to toe look without worrying about your purse.

Are there a lot of misconceptions about the older plastics (that were discontinued in part because of the chemicals now becoming illegal)? Similarly, there are a lot of people that have misconceptions or concern about Red Fiestaware (the original that was discontinued because they needed uranium for the war effort). I would not boil soup in it, but in a curio cabinet, it would not turn your house into a toxic waste site because the levels would no higher than anything else there. However, some folks pass on it for those reasons.

Is there any concerns like that in the lucite (well, apparently not as much, because they are sought after, but so is fiesta red) world or is it all just a concern for the people physically making the items, pouring, and molding, versus the finished product when the plastic was in a liquid state?

Sorry to be so picky technical, but I always want to learn more and am always interested in stories behing the story.

Chris
 
In the case of lucite purse manufacturing materials, the risks are not misconceptions. Some of the chemicals were illegal in New York even at the time they were being produced. That's why some of the manufacturers moved to Florida, where the laws were much more lax. The materials were also highly flammable, and in fact there was a fire in the Patricia of Miami/Florida Handbags factory. It burned hot enough to melt the iron I-beams in the ceiling. It happened during the heyday of lucite bags, and all of the loading entrances were blocked with trucks waiting for shipments. The employees had to escape by crawling under the trucks (all according to Morty Edelstein, the company's founder.)

As far as current health concerns ---- yes, they are definitely there. When a bag begins to decay, usually as the result of exposure to heat or other chemicals such as perfume or cleaning products, it will begin to emit a smell very much like vinegar. This gas, which is a formaldehyde compound, can cause a variety of ills and repeated exposure can depress your immune system. Just smelling it or touching it can cause allegic reactions. There's also some evidence that it can cause cancer. Aside from the fact that a smelly lucite bag will end up turning into a pile of goo someday and there's nothing you can do to prevent that from happening, it's not smart or safe to have them sitting around your house.
 
Leigh,

I know of someone saying their lucite bag had a vinegary smell and were looking for cleaning tips! I know all about leather and other purse materials, but admit my hard lucite knowledge is not as full..... I should let her know about this information right away. Do you think the very vinegary smelling lucite bags should be out of human contact...like in a curio cabinet, or should they be destroyed/or stored sealed?

Chris
 
Personally, I think they should be destroyed. (And as a collector for almost 20 years, it really pains me to say that.) God knows what kind of toxic gases could build up if its kept sealed up in a case. And anyway, the purse is thrashed --- sometimes the decay takes decades, and sometimes a purse will become a puddle of goo in a matter of days.
 
Is there a method for doing so, or should they take it to an expert...just like folks are supposed to hand over battery acid/used oil to those that can dispose of it properly vs tossing in the trash...
 
Thanks for starting this thread Chris... I think the lucite bags are very pretty but I know virtually nothing about them. Appreciate the information Leigh has provided. Now if I were to consider bidding on lucite bag, I would be sure to ask the seller if the bag had any vinegary smell.

Carol
 
Chris, I haven't had any decaying bags for a long long time --- I learned about this problem pretty early on in my collecting days. But the last time I disposed of one, I sealed it up in several air tight bags and dropped it off at the hazmat site they set up several times a year.
 
Very informative Leigh! I had no idea! I also only have one lucite bag that
has issues (not decay, just a trashed lining), but I should check it, as it
is packed away~~somewhere! :)

Sue
 
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