1930s Vintage Galleon Brooch - Finely Detailed Bakelite Full retailer Sail Spanish Full Master

1930s Vintage Galleon retailer Brooch -
Finely Detailed Bakelite Full Sail Spanish Full Master
This is an early Bakelite brooch designed as a sailing ship.
It is very detailed.
There is a little red flag.
The closure is a simple clasp.
It is thin and light weight but in very good condition.
Size is 1 1/2 inches in width by 1 1/2 inches in length



The most highly collected vintage plastic, Dr. Leo Baekeland  patented the process of making bakelite in 1909. Similar materials like catalin used in radios and other consumer goods were made by other companies. Bakelite was very widely used and in demand for radios, jewelry, kitchen utensils and dinnerware, and as decorative features on other items like cocktail shakers. Bakelite is a type of plastic that is made under high heat, but it cannot be recycled. Bakelite is a very flexible material which can be decorated through molds, carvings, inlays, lamination, etc., and it could be made in most any color.

What Is Bakelite?
Bakelite is a castable, fire resistant plastic that was invented by Leo Baekeland in 1909. It was originally used for industrial purposes until jewelry makers found that its light weight made Bakelite a perfect choice for designing and manufacturing inexpensive bracelets, rings, pins and other jewelry.

Bakelite jewelry became especially popular in the 1930's and 1940's after a wider assortment of colors was introduced. The new batch of Bakelite colors captured the imagination of more and more jewelry companies. Coco Chanel was one famous designer who offered Bakelite jewelry and accessories.