Dear Helaine and Joe: My plastic pocketbook is 4 inches tall, 8 inches long and 4 inches deep. The top has a carved circular leaf design; the base has a pierced metal surround. There are no manufacturers marks. What is its value? -- D. L. Whitefish, Mont.
Dear D.L.: The word "plastic" does not have a good connotation among many collectors, but other words that have the same meaning do.Bakelite, for example, is a very hot collectible, and objects made from Lucite are rapidly gaining favor. Both of these are plastic.
Bakelite was invented in 1907 and went on the market in 1910, and Lucite was invented in 1930. Bakelite is also know as Catalin and Marbalin, and these substances are always opaque. Lucite is always transparent, even if it is colored.
When World War II ended, the American woman was tired of rationing, riveting and "keeping the home fires burning." She wanted a little luxury, a little fashion. She wanted -- among many other things -- nylon hose and some new clothes that were fun and colorful.
Starting in the late 1940s it became very smart for a fashionable woman to accessorize her outfits with a plastic or Lucite purse. Some of the shapes were outlandishly modern, and some were just simple oval or rectangular boxes.
Some of these bags were decorated with glitter, others with rhinestones and still others with shells, flowers, lace and metal filigree (like the one in today's question). The leading maker of these was Wilardy of New York City, but Rialto, Patricia of Miami, LLewellyn, Gilli Originals and Evans also made fine examples.
The signatures of these important makers are highly desired on purses, and often they can be found impressed on the metal parts or on a label inside the bag. Unfortunately, many of these labels have been lost over the years, leaving the bags they were once attached to unmarked and anonymous.
When they were new, examples by high fashion makers could cost as much as $50, but knockoffs and look-alikes abounded, and these could be bought for as little as $5 each.
Lucite and plastic bags were popular through the late 1950s, but by 1960 they were as out of fashion as high-button shoes and whalebone corsets. Today, there is once again tremendous interest in these plastic bags, and prices have risen to levels that surprise many.
The purse in today's question has a Lucite top with an impressed star and garland decoration. The base and handles are marbleized brown plastic, and the bottom is decorated with a filigree metal band in a flowers and leaf pattern.
The insurance value on this purse is in the $150 to $200 range if it is in excellent condition.
Helaine Fendelman is feature editor at Country Living magazine; Joe Rosson writes about antiques at The Knoxville News Sentinel in Tennessee. Questions can be sent to them at P.O. Box 12208, Knoxville, TN 37912-0208.