FAQ
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Lucite was the DuPont trademark name for the Rohm and Hass product (plexiglass) developed in Germany. It is a plastic, an acrylic resin, consisting essentially of polymerized methyl methacrylate.
The plastic was cut to the particular size needed for the purse, then heated in an oven until it was flexible. The piece was wrapped and clamped around a wooden form until it cooled. After cooling, the piece would maintain its new shape indefinitely.
The glue used was a co-hesive rather than an adhesive, a solvent called methylene chloride. The parts would actually melt and bond to the adjacent surface, creating a joint as strong as the material itself.
No, Bakelite was not available in sheet form, only in a cast shape and it was never used in a handbag at Wilardy Originals. Early on, some acetate was used in production, but not Bakelite.
This can be true of some of the lined bags, resulting from the glues used to adhere the linings to the plastic.
Production ended for the Wilardy handbags during the late 1970s.
