1920s Art Deco Bakelite studs box

With Art Deco geometric detail on the lid, this little studs box is straight from the 1920s. It is made of dark brown Bakelite with a faintly tortoiseshell finish and had “STUDS” engraved on the lid. Inside it still has the original felt lining to the base. Measuring 5 cm across and 3 cm deep it has plenty of room for shirt studs and cufflinks.

Bakelite was the first plastic made from synthetic components. It was developed by chemist Leo Baekeland in Yonkers, New York, in 1907 and patented in 1909. Because Bakelite could be moulded into any shape it was creatively used for a vast array of Art Deco designs, from kitchenware and fine jewellery to toys and telephones. Newer materials began replacing Bakelite after WWII, so today early 20^th Century Bakelite pieces are highly collectable.