What's New...? ....... This site will be updated weekly,please keep checking it out .... Bookmark
using the MIND IT facility on this page for automatic update notification.
March 2006 ... A lovely black Tesla Talisman 308 U Bakelite radio added to the collection, classic
design, sometimes called the teardrop, made in the old Czechoslovakia, now the Czech Republic, during the 1950's. Images and
details soon to appear on my new page dedicated to this stylish set!!
February 2006 ... Well it's happened at last !! I have finally obtained an item that has
long been at the top of my Bakelite wish list for the collection, one of the fabled ROUND EKCO RADIO range, a lovely AD36
manufactured in 1935, I've searched for years for in my opinion the Holy Grail of Bakelite design ... now I have
one !!! More
details and images and the story behind this set appear now on a new specially created
page for this classic beauty... BRIEF ENCOUNTER OF AN EKCO KIND !! Please take a look .... an elated Jools !!!!
January 26th 2006 ... Already I've managed to add some nice new examples to my Bakelite collection
for the start of a New Year, these to appear on my newly created NEW ADDITIONS PAGE for 2006, one of the stars being a superb
table lighter, THE CLASSIC JUMBO LIGHTER pure Art Deco, 1930's, plus many other items including an IVALEK CRYSTAL SET
and a wonderful CALOR BAKELITE TABLE FAN .. please keep revisiting as I add more items.
January 2006 Hope everyone had a nice festive break and now back to the wonderful world of bakelite, I hope
over the coming months to add many new features to my site, which hopefully will help people with similar interests.
Sunday January the 8th I attended one of the wonderful Art Deco Fairs that Ann Zierold provides on a regular
basis across the north of England. This was at the impressive former Speke Aerodrome building in Liverpool, now
a superb Marriots Hotel. The terminal building dates from the 1930's, pure Art Deco in style and the interior has been renovated
to reflect the Deco period, a personal favourite era of mine.
Ann was kind enough to ask me to present my Bakelite lecture in these opulent surroundings, to a very receptive
audience, many thanks again Ann.
If any of you get the chance to visit one of Ann's fairs, it's a nice day out, I've attended a few, another
nice venue being Chester Racecourse. Normally there's plenty of bakelite on view ... so you might just bag a bargain !!!
September 2005 ... Another quality radio for the collection, a compact PORTADYNE MINX bakelite set from 1953,
works a treat, see the newly created page.
August 2005 ... And we have just returned from our annual trip to Greece, soaking up the sun/retsina and
mythos !!! Lots to do on my site and pics to take of new items. Barbara has treated me to my very own digital camera !!! normally
I've used my daughter's or son's !!! Created a new page today dedicated to the wonderful EKCO AC85 receiver from 1934 and
addition to the collection earlier this year... I think the current oldest example of a bakelite receiver in my collection
... so please take a look !! Much much more to follow ..JoolZ
April 2005 ... A couple of superb new additions to the collection this month !! A fantastic example
of the Bourjois Owl in mottled Blue Bakelite, part of the 1930's Evening in Paris range of perfume holders ... and
one of the fabled Michelin Mr Bibendum bakelite ashtrays ... this particular Mr Bib has a tale to tell !! Both items
now appear on a newly created page in their honour so please take a look !!!
March 17th 2005 ... another new page added, featuring a 1950's Contex Mechanical adding machine, 1950's Made
in Denmark, please take a look.
March 2005 , I have added a new page to the site dedicated to an unusual Bakelite wireless receiver the P.A.M.
recently added to the collection, as featured in RADIO ART ...Robert Hawes's excellent book on Radio design.
This wireless was made around 1946 from war surplus materials. Also the About me page has been revamped to
include images of my Bakelite Emporium, established from late 2004 onwards, please take a look !!
Also during March 2005 I added a fine example of the Sobell Model 439 Jelly Mould Wireless to the collection
... image on this page and full details on my Radio A to Z Page.
February 2005 and another classic bakelite wireless joins the collection, a 1946 Philips 209U compact three
waveband set, with out of body station indicator still intact !! See my Radio/Audio page for details and pics.
Two recent additions to the growing radio side of the collection for 2005, at opposite ends of the style spectrum
I feel.... but both produced just after the war in 1946. One displays all the style and chic associated with
France, a Bakelite bodied Radialva Super AS 110/120volts, nice wrap around thick heavy bakelite, very stylish .......,
the other being a far more austere Amplion ADP1Portable Battery Receiver, Made in England, the design of which
in my opinion still displayed all the aspects of the economic and practical designs of the war time period.
Something about the simplicity of this set I like.
The Amplion used the readily surplus materials available post war, and the body consisted of Rexine ? I think,
covered plywood. I found a ready made excuse to feature this radio on my site ... the three control
knobs are after all phenolic !!! The Amplion featured the then new range of Octal valves which came
onto the market during the same year of production 1946. Without a doubt the cheapest radio I've
purchased to date. Found recently covered in cobwebs at a local fleamarket for £3 !!!!! Images of both sets now
appear on my A to Z Radio Collection Audio page..
November 27th 2004 ... A very important classic find for the collection, my good friend John Mee tips me
off about a large mystery bakelite radio for sale at a local second hand bric a brac market .. I rushed down to the venue,
and soon agreed a very reasonable price after a bit of bartering !! the radio turned out to be a nice example
of one of Ekco's fabled range, an A23, made August 1946 one of their first sets to be produced after the end of WWII.
Large with pre war design and style very evident ... and it still works after nearly 60 years !! Think I owe John a few beers
for the tip off. Pics now appear on my newly created EKCO A23 page.. please take a look ... JoolZ.
November 7th 2004 ... thanks are due to Rachel Steel and everybody at the YORKSHIRE CLARICE CLIFF GROUP
for inviting me along to present my Bakelite Lecture to a very appreciative and responsive audience. Many members brought
along some superb bakelite items and other interesting 20th century collectables, plus I even learned a little about
the fabled Clarice Cliff !!!! A most enjoyable afternoon ... many thanks Jools
October 2004 .... A nice Bakelite related article appears in the Independent on Sunday 24th October 2004
... with thanks to Jasmine Birtles, a link to the article appears on this page.
September 2004 ... A wonderful donation to the collection by Nick Arnold,
a classic Art Deco Office Pencil Sharpener .. The Electro Pointer Sharpener, heavy black Bakelite from 1941
... please check out the page I have created for this wonderful item .... many images and a nice story to accompany this beauty
!!!
August 2004 Just back from our annual visit to Parga Greece, wonderful as ever !! Congratulations to
everyone in Greece for the wonderful display put on by the Greek nation staging the Olympics 2004 Yammas everyone !!!!
Back in Bakelite mode now, picked up a superb cast phenolic bangle at Chelford yesterday ... the site of
my appearance on Boot Sale Challenge recently ... green with yellowish hue, pics to appear shortly on the jewellery page.
Apologies to all people who have mailed me whilst on holday, I will get back to everyone shortly after the ouzo, metaxa and
sun has worn off !!!
Yet again I have an amusing story from my visit to Parga this year .. involving a large greek ferry, approx
200 passengers and an irate deck hand !! ... details to follow soon ...Jools
May 21st 2004 .... After many years of searching, I've finally added one of my dream bakelite
classic items to the collection ... A 1950 BUSH TV22 BAKELITE TELEVISION !!!! See above ... A
new page has been created for this wonderful example of classic bakelite design ... please take a look !!
Also I've finally been able to add an example of one of my favourite classic
designed radios to the collection, the stylish ribbed Bush Dac 10 Model. Dating from 1950, this model, being push
button was evidently rumoured to have been designed to help blind listeners to use their sets with greater ease. Please check
out my new RADIO/AUDIO 3 Page for images etc. I purchased this set with bakelite restoration in mind .... so before and after
pictures appear.... please take a look !!!
Easter Monday April 12th 2004 ... I'm on the telly again !! Filming took place for BOOT SALE
CHALLENGE the popular TV programme which goes out during June 2004. Basically two sets of teams play against each other, buying
items on a car boot which are then valued by the resident expert. The winning team being the one with the most profit !! My
team member was my good friend John Mee and filming took place at one of our regular haunts ... Chelford in Cheshire.
DID WE WIN ???? well visit my page dedicated to this fun day to find out !!!
March 19th 2004 .. It's my birthday next month and I've just added a superb example of
one of the CORONET MIDGET 16mm Cameras to the collection... an early present from my Wife, who I've dedicated a page to entitled
KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS !! please take a look at this stylish camera from the age of Deco.
February 23rd 2004 A nice new camera for the collection, from 1938 a near mint
VP Twin miniature black bakelite camera, complete with carrying case. See photography page for
images and details.
February 2004 I have added a new page .. BAKELITE FURNITURE ... please take a look. Images
of a superb coffee table kindly donated to the collection by a lady in Norfolk.
January 2004 .. HAPPY NEW YEAR To You all !!!
A recently obtained Swiss Bakelite tray from 1938 appears further down this page,
very unusual .. please take a look .. Jools
November 9th 2003 ... and I'm on a Bakelite roll !!! A good example of one of the
first Bakelite cameras in the UK added to the collection ..The RAJAR No 6, dating from around
1929 ...Picture appears on my Photography page.
November 5th 2003 .... A brief follow up to yesterday's information .... A foundation
stone was laid on the 16th August 1951 at the new BAKELITE LTD building costing
£1 million at Newton Aycliffe .... Laid by the Chairman of Bakelite Ltd, a certain Mr.
H.POTTER !!!! I would love to think that this gentleman was indeed called Harry ! As I have always maintained
that Bakelite was certainly a Magical material !!! A link is now available on my Links page to the HYDRO
POLYMERS History Archives, have a look and you will indeed find an image of Mr Potter's stone !!!
Many thanks to The Advertiser Newspaper for featuring an article on Bakelite and myself today.
November 4th 2003 ... After seeing the Daily Mail article last week, Chris Welton the
Communications Manager of HYDRO POLYMERS, based at Newton Aycliffe in County Durham contacted me. His company were originally
set up by BAKELITE Ltd during the 1940's. Chris has kindly invited me to go and spend a day with them and view archive material
etc. An invite I'm very pleased to accept and look forward to sometime in the New Year ... thanks Chris !!!
November 2nd 2003 ... A nice find today at a local Antiques Fair, a good example of
the Kolster Brandes FB10 Radio, popular name the "Toaster" ... more details and pics on my Radio
page ...
October 31st 2003 ... the Manchester Evening News article was printed today !!!
October 30th 2003 ... The Manchester Evening News have also been in contact to do an article
and I've already had some very interesting and exciting feedback resulting from the Daily Mail article ... so watch
this space ..Joolz
October 29th 2003 ... Thanks are due to the DAILY MAIL for publishing today nearly a half
page article and photo regarding my love of Bakelite !! My daughter forwarded some information to them, which was used in
the PETERBOROUGH column ... a nice surprise indeed !!! Thanks to everyone at this excellent publication. I shouldn't say that
really being an ex Express Newspapers employee !!!
October 21st 2003 ... Just a few words to say thankyou to everyone concerned at the HAVERING
ANTIQUE AND COLLECTORS CLUB, Harold Wood in Essex. I thoroughly enjoyed providing my Bakelite Lecture last friday evening to
a very receptive and friendly audience ... and particular Thanks are due to Jenny Curtis for making the whole event possible
.....
If your club or society are interested in a possible BAKELITE LECTURE ... please mail
me for details ... I promise you an entertaining and interesting evening ..Jools
June 24th 2003 ... The last couple of weeks have been wonderful on the Bakelite front !!! My
star find being a 1940's solid black Bakelite Russian Gramophone Player, portable .. I use this term very loosely as the weight
of this player is considerable ... I bought this from a guy who operates a haulage firm into and out of the old USSR, he had
many items of russian origin for sale ... but in my opinion this was the Red Star !!! sorry about the pun !!! I NOW HAVE IMAGES
of this wonderful item on my newly created RADIO/AUDIO 2 FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE !!! page. Please take a look !!!
From the details I already have, Vitaly Brousnikin of Moscow has already confirmed the age of this item and hopefully will
provide more information soon. Vitaly has a very good website dedicated to Russian radios and Gramophones ... called RED STAR
RADIOS and is an expert in old Russian audio technology.
March 2003, Added a DORSET FLINTLESS BAKELITE LIGHTER to the collection, from circa 1953,
images of this fascinating item can be found on the SMOKING page.
Monday 9th December ... On this page I have reproduced an article and image of the giant Ekco
radio press, by kind permission of Tony Thompson of Vintage Radio World.
Tuesday 19th November, a link has been placed to Tony Thompson's excellent site VINTAGE RADIO
WORLD, very informative ... go to my links page or the Radio page
September 2002 ... I managed to obtain a copy of the BBC HISTORY Magazine, September issue,
where I have contributed with other Bakelite fans to a charming artcle put together by Betsy Miller regarding Bakelite. Well
done Betsy on a concise and well produced article... plenty of information appearing on one page !!!
11th June 2002 ... Received my copy of the July issue of HOMES & ANTIQUES magazine...very
very pleased with the article !!! Superb copy from MADELEINE MARSH and ANDREW MONTGOMERY'S photos are brilliant !! Copyright
laws forbid me to reproduce the article on my site...
