Made from a
material that is
almost 150 years
old the
‘youngest
antiques’ have
come of age. By
Christopher
Proudlove.
'I knew a man
once who
collected
plastic shopping
bags. He had
examples from
some of the most
famous
department
stores and
high-class shops
from all around
the world. He
was a security
guard and got
himself sacked
for petty
pilfering,
presumably the
bags came in
handy for
carrying home
his booty!...'
Many people assume that jewellery must be a
precious metal or gem stones in order to be
valuable. This is not true. Beautiful and
valuable antique jewellery can also be made of
PLASTIC By Julie P. Robinson.
'Several years
ago a friend’s
mother wanted me
to look through
her jewellery
box to see if
she had anything
that could be
sold for quick
cash. She
selected a few
costume pieces
thinking they
had potential
because they
were marked
sterling and 14K
gold. She was
right, her
things did have
value, but the
true treasure
lay in the
bottom of the
box...'
Bakelite; This breakthrough in plastics
celebrated its centenary last year. By Clare
Blake.
'The Rolls Royce
of plastics,
Bakelite is
immensely
tactile with
softened
contours and a
dense smooth
texture that is
reminiscent of
sculptured
stone, it comes
in an amazing
palette ranging
from functional
blacks and
browns through
to funky bright
hues with the
added benefit
that, unlike
many other
plastics,
Bakelite colours
stay fresh over
time....'
With this Ring...Collecting
antique Telephones by Christopher Proudlove.
'My two young
apprentices have
virtually flown
the nest, but
thanks to the
wonders of
computer
technology, they
remain in touch.
Given the right
gizmos, it’s
possible to
phone them
wherever they
are in the world
and it never
ceases to amaze
me that I can
speak to them
for hours
entirely for
free...'
