Okay, let's get something straight. There's been a lot of confusion about Catalin and what it is in contrast to Bakelite, but that's the problem. Stop comparing apples to apples! Catalin is a specific brand of phenol formaldehyde resin (pfr) and so is Bakelite! Bakelite, however, is the go-to word for pfr and that's the general rule according to book publishers, fashion experts and vintage plastic know-it-alls. When the Bakelite patent expired in 1927, the Catalin Corporation stepped in and began their own manufacture of the plastic. They may have made some in-house developments or experimented with the original Bakelite recipe, but from a collector's perspective, there's no point in discriminating. A perfect example of the Bakelite/Catalin confusion can be illustrated with this extravagant pair of buttons in shiny black licorice with apple juice midsections. When I walked into an antique bazaar last year in Mesa, Arizona, I casually asked the saleslady if there was any Bakelite in the shop. "No," she said, "but I do have some Catalin buttons stashed away in a curio cabinet." HELLO! It's all the same, peeps! Here are those "Catalin" buttons in all of their dusted-off glory—and yes, they tested positive for Bakelite. Remember, Catalin is just a more specific way of saying Bakelite, just like you might refer to your car as a Ford or a Chrysler. There's a lot I don't know, but this is one area where I have some legal and historical knowledge. Have a nice day and class dismissed.
-Sherbert McGee
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