Vintage Bakelite Purses Rialto
From LoveToKnow Handbags
The term "vintage Bakelite purses Rialto" is generally meant to represent Bakelite handbags manufactured by the vintage designer Rialto. These handbags are very rare today, as noted by their vintage status.
A Product of the Bakelite Era
Bakelite is not a term that is well known by today's fashionistas, but somewhat less than a century ago this unique material was hot on the accessory scene. So hot, moreover, that there is actually a jewelry era labeled the "Bakelite era". Bakelite is a compound formed from carbolic acid and formaldehyde; yet this compound has many favorable properties that helped to make it a long lasting and useful material in everything from car parts to fashion pieces. It was discovered around 1907 when a Belgian scientist, Dr. Leo Baekeland, inadvertently combined the two substances to discover a compound that was remarkably heat resistant.
Bakelite's properties allow it to remain solid regardless of high temperatures. This made the material horrendously useful for everything from jewelry to electrical plugs. In fact, at one point, Bakelite was known as "the material with 1000 uses". As far as Bakelite's aesthetics are concerned, the compound should be praised for those qualities alone. It is a lovely almost quartz-like material available in numerous colors.
The Bakelite era carried on from about 1920 to the early 1940s when it was put to rest due to the war efforts. People could no longer afford expensive jewelry, and by the time World War II had finished, molded plastics were providing the people with cheaper alternatives.
Although Bakelite has been superseded by plastics such as Lucite, many lovers of vintage jewelry and accessories are still combing the vintage scene for the last available pieces of this era.
Refining Your Search for Vintage Bakelite Purses Rialto
Vintage Bakelite purses Rialto can be difficult items to locate in stores, and such is the problem with many extremely old vintage items. Sure, antique shops and vintage stores may be one place to look, but as with many esoteric and obsolete items, the Internet may become your primary tool in located these specific Rialto purses.
To begin, you may want to consider refining your search for vintage Bakelite purses Rialto, as the phrase may bring up very broad results on a search engine. Rialto is a vintage designer, and, therefore, rather than phrasing your quest "vintage Bakelite purses Rialto" you may want to consider letting Rialto precede the object of your search. Try looking for "Rialto vintage Bakelite handbags" as well. Moreover, since Bakelite purses as well as all Bakelite accessories are now obsolete on today's fashion scene, there may be no need to include the term "vintage" in your search. Any Rialto Bakelite purse you find online will automatically be vintage, as these items have been out of production for nearly sixty years.
Vintage Treasures
You're likely to find several Bakelite purses on online auctions such as eBay. Although many of these purses will not be specifically by the designer Rialto, all of them will share the commonalities of boxy feminine vintage design and the amazing features of Bakelite. However, all of these handbags will be old, and Bakelite items that were manufactured in the early 1900s are subject to the oxidation discoloration inherent to Bakelite. Yet, many people consider this color fading to be one of the classically beautiful aspects of the compound. White Bakelite items may fade to a yellow or cream. Likewise, pinks become more of a coral or orange, and blue darkens into a deep green. The items are vintage and such discoloration makes vintage Bakelite purses even more reminiscent of a long-gone era.
How to Know If It's Bakelite
Internet auctions are always risky, and although esoteric pieces like vintage Bakelite handbags aren't subject to replicas the way many designer products are, you may still want to keep an eye open for fakes. There are a few suggestions out there on a web that will help you determine whether or not your Bakelite purse is the real deal. However, these suggestions don't come without a price.
For example, one website suggests that a "hot pin" test will determine the validity of your Bakelite bag. You simple subject the tip of a pin to a hot flame and then see if the flaming hot pin will penetrate the Bakelite bag. If it does, the bag is obviously plastic. If all you get is a small purple burn mark, well, then, congratulations! Your product is authentic. What's the downside? Either way, your bag gets slightly damaged. Yet, the heat test is the most accurate of all, and experimenters are encouraged to wear goggles and gloves during the test. After all, if your handbag is really made of a flammable material called celluloid, then you're in for quite an experience!
If you're looking to keep the bag intact, your best bet is most likely to work with or buy from a dealer who specializes in vintage or antique goods. Also look for feedback and comments about the seller or dealer before purchasing.
Shopping
Although they are not available for purchase, the Lucite and Bakelite Handbags Archive from "The Bag Lady" describe a substantial variety of this vintage designer's bakelite and lucite purses, complete with pictures illustrating the rich colors and exquisite details. Since these are photos of authentic bags, they may help you in identifying the a genuine Rialto purse.
Shopping sites that may be currently selling vintage Rialto handbags include:
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