This post will answer these questions:
1. What is Celluloid?
2. Who invented Celluloid - when & how?
3. Are Celluloid powder compacts and accessories valuable?
4. How can I find the value of my Celluloid collectibles?
5. Where can I find vintage & antique Celluloid powder compacts?
6. How should I store Celluloid items?
7. How can I tell if an item is made from Celluloid?
8. How do I clean Celluloid accessories?
What is Lucite?
Lucite is often used as a lightweight or shatter-resistant alternative to glass. It is not technically a type of glass, the substance has also been referred to as acrylic glass. Plexiglas, Lucite & Perspex are registered brand names for what is known as acrylic glass. The Kigu archive regularly refers to vanities having been fitted with a 'Perspex insert'. Lucite acrylic was invented by the Dupont Corporation in 1931. When not coloured it is a clear material with high transparency. Lucite is a high quality product which will retain its clear appearance even when subjected to UV rays. It is expensive to produce and highly versatile. This superior quality acrylic can be embedded with many beautiful colours and carved into a wide variety of shapes. Hence it popularity with manufacturers of accessories.
Eleanor and I feel as though it is important to pay tribute to the makers and also say thank you to our customers, many of whom are fellow collectors. We like to create new historical fact packs for each subsequent sale, so that we are not duplicating information when the same customer purchases another piece from the same maker.
Traditionally these silver pieces were hand carved & the niello was created by baking 50% sulphur, copper, silver & lead which forms the black enamel like coating on this silver accessory. These materials would be heated to very high temperatures to form a coating for the silver. The items would then be engraved again. Nielloware was particularly popular in the 13th & 15th centuries but very few pieces from these times survive. The process to produce nielloware is quite demanding as you can imagine. Nielloware pieces are often made from high grade silver. Nielloware has a huge following. The history of this genre is particularly interesting as Siam niello tells a story of an epic adventure, The Ramayana.
The answer is silver! Some people interpret this to be a gift which is the colour silver but the recipient is likely to know that a gift made from solid silver is what is traditionally given for the 25th (silver) anniversary. Imagine a wife receiving a gift from her husband after a quarter of a century of matrimony to discover that it is silver coloured instead of hallmarked silver!
This post will answer these questions:
When did seed pearl jewellery become popular?
How do seed pearls differ from other pearls?
Why are they called seed pearls?
Are seed pearls natural?
What colour range do seed pearls have?
