Leo Beakeland (1863 -1944), a Belgian who had moved to America, was the inventor of Bakelite. Made by the condensation of phenol and formaldehyde in the presence of a catalyst, it was used for everything from tools and telephones to jewelry. "Bakelite" is frequently used as a generic name for all phenol formaldehyde, including Catalin and Marblette, which came later and in a wider range of colors. Making Bakelite jewelry was at it's zenith from the late 1920s till the start of WWII in 1942, and even after Diane Von Furstenberg and Hattie Carnegie, among others, leant their names to this wonderful jewelry. The sophisticated Deco and machine age look of some of the pieces made them fashion-forward.
Smoke and pet free home. Once a piece leaves, I never, ever want to see it again! I hope each item I sell from my own life will spark joy in the next owner's life. Required by your country for importing consumer goods.