BAKELITE FOR THE HOLIDAYS - More fun than a barrel of monkeys...

Shut my mouth!  Bakelite for Christmas!  Perfect anytime of the year, but especially joyful this Christmas around - wanted to share some beautiful pieces that I received this holiday season, AND some fabulous carved pieces that my Mom has been collecting herself, these past months...one-of-a-kind art pieces for the arm...thrown into the mix here, to make the Bakelite collectors among you drool - not fair that I should be the only one.

Starting with this...not mine, but my Mom's recent acquisition - See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil Bakelite monkeys!  Six of them, hand carved round this thick bangle - three right side up, and three upside down, so that no matter how you turn this piece, those comical little monkeys are staring at you.  Hate monkeys - LOVE this!

MINE!  These bangles were all under the tree for me this year...the large, HEAVY black one in the center is asymmetrical, and gorgeous.  A present from my folks - my Mom actually purchased an identically matched one for herself, a few days after she found this one.  She shops at all the right places, evidently.

The green bangle, a gift from Santa (my husband told me recently that he is thrilled that I could find as much joy in "plastic" as I do, and is certainly glad my hobby isn't diamonds).  The beautiful butterscotch "flying saucer" bangle (the flying saucers are thicker in the middle, tapering to a thinner edge) was a gift from The Boss - thank you, thank you, you ROCK!  The little Bakelite pencil sharpener was found in a case of antique doo-dads over the Christmas holiday - SCORE!  SHARPEN!

I found the cinnamon red colored bangle above for my Mom for Christmas.  Was a little panicked when it arrived (this was an online purchase), as it has what looks to be very fine gold dust throughout - gold dust that did not show in the pictures (as it doesn't now), nor was it mentioned in the description.  I had never seen this, and held my breath (AFTER I kicked myself for purchasing it), but it tested positive with the Simichrome, so I got busy and did a little research.  Not a lot to be found on it, but basically it was made for one year only...somewhere between 1936/37.  Referred to as "Stardust Bakelite" - it can range from the fine dusting that is in this one, to larger, gold flakes. An interesting, special find, to say the least.  I quit kicking myself!

This heavily carved piece belongs to Mom, also - tropical flowers, a large feline, a dog, two naked women, and a dragon - heavy, thick, entirely hand carved - a beautiful conversation piece from the 30's (Bakelite was produced from 1932 to 1941).  The three carved pieces are all approximately 1-1/2" wide, and thick, thick, thick!

And one final acquisition of hers - a gorgeous black floral "clamper" bracelet.  The flowers are exquisite, and there appear to be two pairs of lips on either side of the hinge.  Mom has embraced the Bakelite collecting with a passion, an eye for the unique, and the good luck of being in the right place at the right time - "Go big, or go home, Barb!"  Might just be her new nickname...