Art Deco Black and White Galalith Eagle Figural Bookends, 1930s, a pair

Details

Description

This stunning French Art Deco Galalith bookend set was hand-crafted in the 1930s. The set features two eagles with spread … Read more This stunning French Art Deco Galalith bookend set was hand-crafted in the 1930s. The set features two eagles with spread wings. The base of the bookends is in black Galalith, and the hand-carved eagles are in the off-white color of the same material. There is no visible maker's mark.
The bookends are in good condition, with minor wear on the Galalith, more visible on one of the eagles. Check the close-up.
Measurements: 4.75 in wide (12 cm) x 3.13 in deep (8 cm) x 4.75 in high (12 cm).
Note: measurements for one bookend.

Note: Galalith (milk stone) is a registered trademark, patented in the 1890s in Bavaria. Mainly produced in Europe during the first part of the 20th Century, this semi-synthetic plastic (Casein is the generic name) is made from skimmed milk curdled with rennet. Cured by extensive immersion in formaldehyde, it became a useful thermosetting material that can be carved or embossed in beautiful patterns. Its color doesn't change over time.
The colors you can find are mainly plain opaque colors, sometimes with marbling or translucency.
Galalith pieces are hand-machined, sanded, or finished and seamless. Inexpensive, mass-produced plastics often have machine marks, but quality ones should not. This material belongs to the family of plastics such as Bakelite, Celluloid, or Lucite. All are considered premium vintage plastic.
Galalith (also wrongly known as "French Bakelite") is impossible to test like genuine American Bakelite because the chemical composition is milk protein hardened with formaldehyde. Tests for Bakelite confirm the presence of phenol, which is absent in Galalith due to the replacement of milk proteins. See less