Customer Reviews

Bakelite Pins (Schiffer Book for Collectors)

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As a long time Bakelite jewelry collector who has just about every book ever written about Bakelite, I didn't think there was much more that could be said about Bakelite Pins- but Karima Parry has done it again. This is not another "Hey, look what I've got" book written by a collector just to show off their collection. Only a few of the pins shown in this book are from Parry's own collection. And, like some of the Bakelite jewelry books out there, it isn't a compendium of the finest Bakelite pins in existence- you know, the ones that most collectors are never going to find, or be able to afford. This book shows a range of Bakelite pins, from very simple and affordable, right up to several of those rare showpiece pins that all Bakelite collectors lust after. Bakelite pins are examined from the perspective of their design and craftsmanship, tracing the evolution of both from the late 1920s right up to the present pieces being made by a few modern Bakelite artists like Ron and Ester Shultz and Bruce and Vicki Pantti. Instead of just presenting pin after pin, Parry discusses the different design trends in the early to mid 20th century that influenced Bakelite pin makers, and she offers a unique insight into the pins. But true to form, the author is careful to make this book a useful reference for collectors. Every pin is shown in full color, with pertinent details and a price range, and the pins are well organized by subject. Most of all, this is not just a picture book, or a collector guide. This concise study of Bakelite Pins is a short, beautifully illustrated lesson in art history, as viewed through the micro lens of Bakelite pins.