Featured Can't decide if this is bakelite..

Hi all, I picked this up for 50 cents, hoping it was bakelite. I've never come across any so I figured it'd be good as a learning tool. But its being tricky. Here's what I have so far:

It certainly looks right according to the lens search (color, swirl, old cotton..too shiny?)
The clunk test is inconclusive: Its between the clink of lucite and the clunk of bakelite, it has both timbres when smushed around together.
I've tried hot water, friction, and a gentle blow dryer, no fromaldehyde smell.
BUT I just tried the baking soda test @Houseful kindly told me about, and it comes up positive. I cleaned the bead with a damp paper towel to make sure it wasn't just dirt, and the result was the same.

Scratching my head with this one! I confer with the experts. TYIA!

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Well as you thought to me it does look good for Bakelite but I’ve never had any without the distinctive odour when warmed up. Wait for others.

 

Did you wash the bead before the baking soda test?

It must be my sniffer, but I never get the smell no matter what I do

 

I am no Bakelite expert, but it looks like the real deal to me.

 

oh interesting! I did get my mother to smell it as well and she confirmed it only smelled old THAT smell got stronger the warmer it got.

 

If soda turns it yellow, it might be bakelite

 

I really like the unusual colors in them! Quite a find, imo!

 

Yep the soda did go yellow. I'll test it again on different beads and see what comes up.

Its really pretty isnt it! It was in a bowl of necklaces thrown together. Not sure why it caught my eye but I've seen enough of the bakelite posts here to consider the possibility.

 

Looks good from here! Brown is one of those bakelite colors that's tough to test chemically. Red and black are the others. The red only reacts sometimes and black never. Another giveaway is weight; bakelite weighs more than acrylic.

 

Woot woot!! Good to know about the colors, I didn't find that info on the articles I was reading. This does indeed weigh more than acrylic for sure, but since I've never handled bakelite before I don't know by how much it should.

 

This would be brown and butterscotch marble right? In terms of color terms.

 

Make sure you clean the beads before testing. Dirt, like cigarette smoke, can give you a false positive!

 

Especially cigarette smoke. Niccotine yellow looks about the same. And yes, butterscotch is about right.

 

And we are a go! Cleaned it thoroughly with a damp cloth, still testing positive.

 

Dingdingding!

 

YES!!!!!!!

 

I had a charity thrift try to sell me a necklace today. "It's Bakelite". Price was fine for bakelite, but one guess what it wasn't. It was yellow, but the wrong yellow and the wrong weight. Beads didn't appear drilled. No bakelite there. Yours however are the real deal.

 

Beads need to be drilled..got it

Excited with this one! I'll keep it for a bit as a reference for future guess buys. I appreciate all y'alls input!

 

beads for dummies question.......
how does one pronounce Bakelite...

bak elite
bake eh lite
or just bake light.....

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Y'now, I talk to you guys and gals......but I can't hear you.....& I'd dearly luv to hear all your voices.......... I'm very auditory ! ... sigh.....

 

This one.