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Classic Hanging Cherries Design

Classic Hanging Cherries Design

1930s or 1940s

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Classic Hanging Cherries Design

1930s or 1940s

Physical Qualities Bakelite, Necklace open: 3 1/2 x 19 1/4 x 5/8 in. (8.9 x 48.9 x 1.6 cm) Necklace closed: 11 x 8 3/8 x 5/8 in. (27.9 x 21.3 x 1.6 cm) Earrings: 2 3/4 x 2 1/4 x 5/8 in. (7 x 5.7 x 1.6 cm)
Credit Line Gift of Barbara Katz, Baltimore
Object Number 2022.79
PLASTIC  These objects made of Bakelite, the first synthetic plastic, are lightweight yet durable. Invented in 1907, Bakelite was used in radios, clocks, machinery, household goods, and jewelry by the 1930s. Made in both factories and family-owned workshops, the material was popular during the Great Depression (1929–1939) as an alternative to costly metals and gems. Both department store shoppers and international celebrities, such as Josephine Baker, sought out its varied finishes. On April 28, 1941, Life magazine published a photo of a woman wearing a heart-shaped Bakelite pin with key dubbed the “MacArthur Heart.” This reference to U.S. General Douglas MacArthur and the Purple Heart medal became an emblem of female patriotism during the industrious war-time period. 

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