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I recently purchased two serving fork & knife sets. The online auction listing states that the handles are Bakelite. I know not to just take that for granted.
One set has a cream/yellow handle, and I’m still trying to figure out the hallmarks on the metal part. They are at least silver plate, but the markings might mean that they are sterling. Either way, I think that they are pretty old. The handles on the other set are more orange. and the metal parts are stainless steel.
So, I don’t just ask this without doing my homework. Here is an article on how to determine if something is Bakelite:
https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/ways-to-identify-bakelite-148495It lists six steps. Here is what I found:
1. Testing by sound: Yes, they clunk when I tap them together. I tapped two modern plastic pieces together, and the sound was a lower pitch. Both of the serving sets had a higher pitch.
2. Testing by Feel: Sure, they both feel heavier than modern plastic, but these sets are part metal. Not conclusive.
3. Testing by Smell: I ran both under hot water from the tap. I think I can vaguely smell something, but it’s not overpowering. Just rubbing them with my hands to warm them up does not do anything.
4. Testing by Sight – Using Simichrome Polish: I don’t have simichrome polish. I could go out and buy some if that is the only way. The article says that a lacquered piece will fail this test.
5. Testing by Sight – Using Formula 409 Cleaner: I tested with 409. The results are in the photos above. They did not turn the swab yellow. Maybe slightly for the orange set. Again, the article says that a lacquered piece will fail this test.
6. Testing by Sight – Inspect the Piece Closely: Yes, they both have a patina especially the lighter ones. There are scratches and darkening in the color. There are no mold seams, although the orange handles change in color at bottom edge creating a line between the sides and the bottom.
Either way, I don’t think these are a modern plastic, but I’m not sure that they are Bakelite. Any help is appreciated.
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Usually that type of cutlery has electro-plated nickel silver (EPNS) blades with silver collars. The British makers often made the EPNS marks look like hallmarks; I don’t know what US makers did. There’s a market in the US for these? In the UK they’re unsaleable, except for the silver content.
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Antique Frog –
I’m pretty sure these are not EPNS. From what I’ve seen, nickel plated items are darker & duller, so I’m pretty sure this set is at least silver plate. I was initially surprised when I found that silver plate sold reasonably well. I thought those were out of style, but apparently people still like them. I haven’t compared EPNS to silver plate, so I can’t really speak to that.
Looking at the marks on the metal, I see a crown, a lion, and the letters MB. I can’t really see the rest. I do have a silver testing kit that I bought months ago and haven’t used yet. That will tell me if I have sterling.
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Just buy the Simichrome. A tube is less than $9 on Amazon and lasts forever. You only need a little bit to test for Bakelite.
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So it’s the bakelite that makes them worth something? Only I’ve got a few of these fish knives and forks that were thrown out by a thrift shop and I was going to smash the handles off to get the silver rings, like I did with the last lot that was thrown out. Mmm… I’m not thinking entrepreneunarilly enough. Got to go find a cat 🙂
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The older plastics such as Bakelike, celluloid, Catalin, and so forth are collectable. Bakelite is particularly popular for whatever reason, but I know that many sellers will just list it without double-checking. Catalin and Bakelite are very similar, just slightly different chemically.
Even if the handles on your knives and forks aren’t exactly one of the above, people are interested the pre-modern plastic. You should do a little investigation before deciding what to do.
Now, if I can figure out what a cat has to do with it all :). Must be English slang!
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Hey Sharyn: To add to your comments. I did a trade name posts way back, who knows when, but to paraphrase sometimes trade names become to go to regular name for products other wise made from a common basic formula.
Few quick examples:
*Lexan made from Gen. Elec. resin pellets is actually a polycarbonite plastic. Lexan is just its trade name.
* Plexiglass is Rohmn Haus name for Acrylic sheeting. It has several trade names but they are all just rolled or sheet flowed acrlic resin.
* Same for Mylar, Duponts name for Polyester sheeting. etc., etc.As for your Catalin .. check the Wiki link. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalin
In 1927 American Catalin bought the patents for Bakelite which is just an Phenol resin which is the opaque Phenolic plastic we see used as mother boards and plates for soldered electronics. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenol_formaldehyde_resin The Catali company came up with a two part phenol resign compound that was transparent and not the opque Bakelite formula. Those in the mid century we started seeing clear plastic jewlery, handles, knobs, etc., etc.
Bakelite being the older formula and mostly opaque has become more collectible because one, it is older, used on many radio, electronics and such as America moved into the plastic age and for all the various colors. Some colors more valuable than others, depending on the product also. And it is harder to find these days.
I think other SL members had comments on that older post on plastic also, but one would have to started doing a search here on the forum to see.
Take care..
mike at MDC Galleries and Fine Art.
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Thanks Mike – If it continues to test negative, I could use Bakelite Type in the title, and then say in the listing that it is an older plastic, but didn’t test positive for Bakelite. I still have to buy that Simichrome. It’s on my list to do.
I have a Mah Jong set with Catalin tiles. I know because some documentation that came in the set indicated the material type. Otherwise, I would have no idea. But I do get that the two words can be interchangeable, and the two patents are so old that the trademarks probably don’t mean anything at this point. I don’t think you could get a VERO on using either word! (Although, a customer could be pissed if you described something as Bakelite, but it was more modern plastic).
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It was in another thread- a parasite that is transmitted from cats to humans has been found to increase entrepreneurial tendencies!
I just bought a set of fish knives and forks today from a thrift shop, price about 6 USD for six pairs. The knives are marked “E P N S” in separate shields to make it look like a hallmark. The collars are silver with hallmarks for Sheffield 1912. I think the forks are stainless steel; on the knives the plating’s worn off in places. Don’t think the handles are bakelite- some kind of plastic with a sort of longitudinal grain just visible.
I suppose this type of blunt knife was usable in the Edwardian days of boiled fish and two veg!
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The first pair look like bone handles to me. The black flecking is the giveaway.
I think Antique Frog is right, the ferrules (the collar) are often sterling silver, even if the blades are not. Could we see a close up of the hallmarks? If it’s a sideways facing lion (lion passant) it’s English sterling silver (925). MB will be the maker. There should be a date mark too.
Nice and decorative, date to early twentieth century. I’d price at around $30 on Etsy.-
Bone is a possibility for the lighter color handles. I’ll have to research that further.
Here are some photos of the hallmarks. They are very small, so the photos came out only so-so even using a 10x magnification.
I agree that the MB is the maker. I did look at some hallmark websites, and found M&B, but not MB. I still have more research to do. After the crown & lion marks, there is another mark that could be a date hallmark. I can’t really make it out that well, so I’d have to see a table of date marks to determine which one it matches.
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