Vintage Pens Made Of Bakelite?

[rincon72grad]

Hi everyone,

 

I just saw a Salz pen on Ebay promoted as made of "Bakelite". To the best of my knowledge, most if not all vintage pens were made of hard rubber, and various forms of celluloid, plastics, etc.

 

Were any pens ever made of Bakelite or Catalin? Seems like that material would have been too brittle for everyday use, dropping, etc.

 

Thanks.

 

David R

[northlodge]

Hi everyone,

 

I just saw a Salz pen on Ebay promoted as made of "Bakelite". To the best of my knowledge, most if not all vintage pens were made of hard rubber, and various forms of celluloid, plastics, etc.

 

Were any pens ever made of Bakelite or Catalin? Seems like that material would have been too brittle for everyday use, dropping, etc.

 

Thanks.

 

David R

 

I think this has come up before, and the conclusion was 'yes a very small number'. However the general public look at a glossy browned BHR and think it is bakelite.

[79spitfire]

A lot of early plastics get called "Bakelite". The first Postal pens were bakelite, and to my understanding that's why they are so rare today as the clear bakelite shatters with little or no provocation, They very well would have been more durable made from glass.

[akiva]

Some earlyish Parker pens from the 20's had transparent bakelite barrels.

[mr goldfink]

First Year Pelikan pens from 1929 also have bakelite barrels. They switched over to celluloid in 1930. The bakelite used on these pens seems to be very good. Indeed, Ive not come across a broken one yet.