Featured Bakelite? Plastic? Brooch

Just bought this brooch and I think it may be Bakelite but am a little confused! It's mainly
butterscotchy-brown with green marbling mainly on the flower bud.
It measures approximately 2 inches wide and 3 inches long.
I have used a cotton bud dipped in baking soda and rubbed the back - it left a faint darkish yellow mark on the bud. Then I tried hot water and had a good sniff - it had quite a distinct fishy smell which I didn't think was a characteristic of Bakelite. Not sure what sort of age it would be - possibly 1940s or 50s? It may just be plastic of course.
Any thoughts or input would be much appreciated.

 

That's a very Lea Stein clasp. It might be the kind of lucite she used.

 

It looks like bakelite but its hard to tell from a picture.
I dont know about the soda method but maybe you could try rub it with simichrome? in my opinion thats a really good fool-proof method to see if its bakelite or not.
I must say I have never come across a bakelite brooch with this kind of clasp. But that means nothing.

 

Dip a q-tip in 409 cleaner & rub...the tip should show yellow, perhaps not bold but discernible, if the piece is Catalin/Bakelite.

 

To me it also looks bakelite. I am no expert but as far as I know, lucite is much lighter than bakelite so if the piece is relatively heavy for its size, it cannot be lucite.
Any cleaner for oven or stove (whatever trade mark) should do the testing job. Baking soda might be not strong enough to remove the patina and transfer it to the cotton tip.

Very nice brooch, IMO!

 

Have you tried rubbing the back repeatedly with a finger (until your finger generates heat) then quickly smelling the plastic? I've heard it described as sort of a "burning insulation" smell. This is how I often test Bakelite when in doubt, esp if I'm out and about and don't have my handy Simchrome.

Certainly seems like it could be Bakelite, but agree with the comment about the pinback being a bit on the unusual side, so maybe another plastic.

 

Thanks. This set me off searching for Lea Stein brooches, she did use those clasps a lot! Her brooches seem to be "layered" rather than one solid piece. I have also looked at lots (and lots!) of Bakelite brooches and can't find any with clasps like mine!

 

There was another French designer who "copied" her technique and backs, if I can remember the name. Yes, layered.

 

I have only just discovered what simichrome is after a quick google! It's available on eBay but seems quite expensive for just a small tube. As I would need only a dab (I assume?) I don't think I'll go down that route but thanks for the suggestion.

 

I did try rubbing it with my finger but couldn't really detect any sort of odour. When I tried it in hot water it was distinctly "fishy"!

 

Thank you, I don't know what 409 cleaner is - will need to go a-googling again! When I tried the baking soda it did leave a faint darkish yellow stain on the cotton.

 

Thank you. Having looked at lots (& lots!) of Bakelite jewellery I do lean towards my brooch being the same. The carving (it's not moulded) on the leaves especially looks very like much I've seen online. Of course looking at photos is not the same as having a piece in your hand. It is a nice brooch and I think I got a bargain so I'm very pleased with it.