I Want To Be Plastic
The August Junction Flea was a rousing success! I was able to find good homes for a lot of my old jewels and so far no regrets. I didn’t buy anything this time either (decluttering is the goal), but I did go on a little photo safari. I was impressed by the collections other vendors had amassed — such as the colourful collection of Texas Ware bowls pictured above.
I have a real affinity for old plastics. In the ’90s, almost all of my tableware was melamine. And I’ve bought and traded several pieces of Bakelite jewellery and cutlery. But if you added up all the Bakelite bangles I’ve had in my lifetime, it wouldn’t come close to the collection on the table pictured above.
I know that most people associate plastic with cold and artificial things, but to me, these old plastics have a sense of playfulness. Celluloid (like these art Deco picture frames above) especially practically glows.
i LOVE all your images in this post- thanks for taking them and sharing. i collect bakelite and in aust. we have an ‘end-of-day’ designation for all the last bits of bakelite chucked into a mould. it looks like your splatter ware (an awful lot)…do you think it’s one and the same- or are you sure that’s melmac, not bakelite?
The bowls were definitely melamine. but I know the kind of Bakelite you’re talking about. There’s so much variety… another reason why plastic is so cool!