Unraveling Corde's History and My Collection

  Even though I tend to lean towards fashions of the 1920's and 1930's, I have a growing love affair with WWII era Corde purses.  They're usually black, which has always been my preferred color, the cord detailing is done in beautiful Art Deco patterns, and, what is probably their best feature, they're incredibly well made and sturdy.  I've dubbed one of my bags my 'antiquing purse' which I use on a regular basis, and have no fear of it being too fragile.  Information on these bags is few and far between, though I believe I've started to unravel the mystery of their origins.

Advertisement from The Newton Graphic, May 1945.

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  Corde, pronounced "corday", is a bag made of a buckrum base, lined in silk or other fabric, and the cord embroidery is either rayon or silk.  This embroidery is made on a Bonnaz-Cornely machine in a 'plaque', or flat shape before being trimmed and attached to the bag.  The original Bonnaz embroidery machine was invented by Antione Bonnaz in 1865.  It was used to imitate tambour embroidery, a type of chain stitch done by hand, but could be mass produced with this machine.  Ercole Cornely further developed this machine and it became the product used to make the cord embroidery seen on these purses.

  Corde purses, though technically in existence since the late 1920s*, became well-known in the 1930's, becoming increasingly popular by 1942, and continued into the 1950's.  The bags of this style are all called Corde and several brands produced them over the years, though the story begins with Annette.  Annette Handbag Company started in 1931.  From 1931 to 1938 Annette made cord embroidery bags as well as others, though in 1938 they exclusively produced Corde bags.  The company originally called their bags Corday, but changed to Corde in 1936 to avoid confusion with a perfume at the time also called Corday.  In 1939 they patented their products as Genuine "CORDE", and made it known that they were the originators of Corde handbags, and that anything marked Genuine "CORDE" is exclusively theirs(though other companies were also making cord embroidery bags as long as Annette was).  After losing a court case in 1941 over their ownership of the term, it seems other companies used it as a mark of quality to advertise their versions of this style of bag, and from then on Genuine Corde bags could be from a number of brands and weren't only associated with Annette(as is seen on numerous advertisements).

Annette's patent for the word "Corde", 1936.

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A letter to sellers of Annette Corde handbags addressing authenticity.

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Advertisement from Luggage & Leather Goods, August 1939.

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Advertisement from Stearns department store, 1940.

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Advertisement from 1950.

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  These purses came in all shapes and sizes, as well as colors(primarily black, brown, and navy, but also in multi-color).  Some had zippers, others with brass turn-lock closures, those with zippers commonly had Lucite pulls, and some also had Lucite handles(I've also seen some with beading called CordeBead by Lumered, said to be 1950's/1960's).  Bags with their original Lucite pulls or intact handles and are marked with Genuine Corde have a greater value than those without them.  Because of these factors, Corde purses range in value from $5 to upwards of $100.

Advertisement from The Newton Graphic, December 1946.

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Advertisement from The Californian, August 1949.

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  Corde purses are a very common find in antique stores, most likely because they are so well made that they've survived better than other purses of that era.  After collecting five, I decided against getting anymore unless I found something really unique, though it is tempting to buy more since I see them so often.

The first two purses are clutch bags.  The black one with its intact Lucite pull was the first Corde piece I found after learning about these purses, and I was so excited not only to find one, but to find one that was complete!  The other is a chocolate brown color, but missing its Lucite pull and has slight fading.

This is the purse I called my 'antiquing purse'.  I found it at an estate sale for a low price, the only damage being the lining of the handle deteriorating and some wear on the label, which says 'An Annette Product'.  I had some vintage black seam binding in my inherited sewing box, so I used that to make a new lining that I just hand-stitched over the original.  This way, if I ever decided to sell it, the Corde purists out there could remove my lining and the bag would be in its original state.

(I did some photo editing to attempt to bring out the label, which is very worn)

This next purse is probably one of my best ever finds.  In a very shabby chic antique store with very little actual antiques in it(you know the ones), I found this absolute gem.  It is a black evening bag(I presume by the style), with brass turn-lock closure, in almost mint condition aside from heavy wear on the stamped label, which reads 'Arvey' Genuine Corde.  It is my only marked Genuine Corde purse, and I bought it for seven dollars!  I could barely contain my excitement when I found it, and it remains a constant reminder that buying in a physical store will bear much greater(and cheaper!) finds.

When I found this last purse, I already told myself I didn't need to buy anymore Cordes since my last purchase couldn't be beat, right?  Then I found this - black bag with its Lucite pull and both Lucite handles, no serious damage to any of the plastic, and in an amber color.  I couldn't pass on such a beautiful bag, so I caved and bought it, though I can't say I regret it!  (Unfortunately, there was a label that was cut out, but based on the size and where it's sewn in, there's a chance this is also an Annette bag, though I'll never know for sure.)

  I had a lot of fun venturing down the road of Corde handbags and their history, and I have a better understanding and appreciation for this beloved vintage purse.  Again, I don't plan on adding to my collection of Cordes, as much as I love them.  However, I may eat my words when I come across that diamond in the rough during a future antiquing trip.



Further Research:
New York Court of Appeals, 1941 - This is a case between Annette Handbag Co. and Mercury Handbags Co. over the use of the term CORDE and Genuine CORDE.  In it is more information than I've ever come across in regards to this type of purse, and I highly recommend a read through for those fascinated by Corde and its history.  *This case mentions that Corde bags have been around since 1926, though I've unfortunately found no examples of what they might have looked like.
Bag Lady University - This links to a list of brands that produced Corde bags, with some advertisements
MAAS(Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences): Cornely Emboidery Machine - An antique example of the machine that eventually produced cord embroidery(there are also videos on YouTube of later versions of the machine in action)

Fabulous Fakelite: Review of Bow & Crossbones Jewelry

*Not sponsored, I bought these items with my money and these are my opinions.*

  The brand Bow & Crossbones has been popping up quite a lot in the vintage community, and after having a look at their products I decided to dive in and order a few pieces.

  Bow & Crossbones is a UK based company that makes reproduction vintage jewelry, a lot of it is what is known as 'fakelite'(they also make reproduction lucite).  Fakelite is, usually, a modern resin plastic item that mimics the look and feel of Bakelite, but without the dangerous chemicals(and high price point).  What caught my eye with this brand in particular(since there are several companies making fakelite) was their 'Adelaide' line, which looks just like the very rare Philadelphia colored Bakelite, one of my favorite designs.  Since actual Philadelphia Bakelite is incredibly expensive, I was thrilled to find such a close copy.

  B&C then released their 'Tini Deco Fan' line, so I last minute bought the earrings(I'm looking for more bold but still casual earrings).

All.

Closeup of Adelaide bracelet.

Closeup of Adelaide earrings.

Closeup of Tini Deco Fan earrings.

  Overall I'm very impressed with this company.  The shipping cost from England was reasonable, and arrived in a little over a week.  The colors are almost exact shades of original Bakelite pieces(which was important to me so I can mix these with my actual Bakelite), and the texture and weight are very close as well.  I would absolutely purchase from Bow & Crossbones again, and highly recommend to those interested in mid-century reproduction jewelry.



Further Research:
Bow & Crossbones: 40's 50's Repro & Vintage Accessories
Bow & Crossbones: Adelaide Bracelet
Bow & Crossbones: Adelaide Fan Earrings
Bow & Crossbones: Tini Deco Fan Stud Earrings

For The Love Of Vintage Plastics: My Bakelite Collection

  Bakelite has been found in almost every antique store I've ever walked into, yet only when I find particular pieces at good prices do I indulge.  However, there is also the past-time of trying to find Bakelite among the heaps of costume jewelry at thrift and antique stores alike, and although I'm not quite obsessed enough to dig through mountains of plastic jewelry to find some, I have a couple pieces that weren't marked and only after purchasing did I discover to most likely be Bakelite.

My largest Bakelite piece - a sewing box from probably the 1920s/30s.  The outside is tarnished(as is usually the case), but the inside has retained its beautiful original color, a deep red swirled with black.   Inside the lid is stamped 'Domart Sewing Box, Patented, Made in U.S.A. by The Domart Company, Glenside, PA.'

  As for Bakelite jewelry - I'm surprised at just how directly the value is reflected in how collectible the piece is.  Bangles can go for hundreds of dollars in some cases, yet brooches and earrings can be found at much lower prices.  I personally don't like bangles, but I love earrings and brooches, so this works in my favor(I also like to coordinate colors, so being able to buy matching sets is wonderful!)

Two bar brooches from the 1930s, and one rather large piece from the 1940s.  Unfortunately I didn't notice that the red one was glued together in the corner, but for the price I'm still quite happy with it.

Red pair with screw backs, 1930s/40s; green/yellow swirl pair with clip-on backs, 1940s/50s; brown carved pair whose original backs were replaced with pierced ear backs(not done by me!), 1930s/1940s.

Three buckles, all 1930s/40s.  The green one was sold as Bakelite, but the red and brown weren't - I only found out once I cleaned them and they emitted that pungent chemical smell all Bakelite collectors are familiar with(I'm still not completely sure about the brown buckle - the hue is different from my other brown Bakelite, but I'm still including it).

A rainbow of Bakelite!

For The Love Of Vintage Plastics: Bakelite

  I should have known that my growing interest in all things vintage and antique would lead me to one of the most popular collectibles among men and women alike - Bakelite.  Bakelite is the candy of the plastic world, from its bright rainbow bangles to psychedelic swirled radios, anything and everything was once made from Bakelite.

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  With the decreased use of celluloid because of its explosive nature, there was room for improvement as well as the need for a plastic that was not dependent on natural resources.  The miracle came from chemist Leo Baekeland in 1907, who was successful in creating the first completely synthetic plastic, a thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin to which he named Bakelite.  Not only was it completely man-made, it was cheap and heat resistant, much unlike its predecessor celluloid.  These properties made Bakelite the primary plastic from 1909-1950s.  Its heat resistance made it popular in electrical devices like telephones, radios, switches, and sewing machine feet, as well as gaining favor in the fashion world for its versatility as Art Deco jewelry, buttons, and belt buckles. It was used in plates, cutlery, children's toys, cameras, smoking paraphernalia, the list goes on.

Advertisement, 1938.
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Advertising booklet showing the variety of Bakelite products from 1941.

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  Bakelite is known as a type of plastic, but it is also a brand(that later branched out into other plastics as is seen in the photo above).  Another brand called Catalin from the American Catalin Corporation acquired the patent for Baekeland's formaldehyde resin in 1927 and made their own version with less and differing fillers.  The belief is widely held that true Bakelite was only made in dark colors like brown, black, and deep red, and that any other color is actually Catalin.  Some advertisements from the time seem to suggest otherwise, but it is safe to say that both Bakelite and Catalin are formaldehyde resins that hold their value as well as their collectible status, and both terms are now mostly used interchangeably.

 Bakelite color chart.  From Gifts to Treasure, Embed Art Company catalog, 1924.

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Another Bakelite color chart, unknown date and source. 

  Even though Bakelite seemed like a miracle, it too had its downfall.  Unlike the obvious problems that came from celluloid, Bakelite's issue was subtle but just as dangerous, that being the formaldehyde used in its production.  Formaldehyde, the same chemical used in the embalming process, has cancer causing properties.  These cancer causing agents can leech from the Bakelite through repeated exposure(as well as affecting those in the production of the material), and seeing that this was used in items like crib toys and kitchen utensils, the Bakelite boom only lasted until around the 1950s-1960s when safer plastics were created.  Bakelite is still used in some industries today, but the household items are a thing of the past.

  I have been familiar with Bakelite almost as long as I've been familiar with celluloid, but it was only when I became interested in Art Deco and the 1930s did I want to add some pieces to my collection.  Of the vintage plastics, Bakelite and Catalin are the most popular and valuable, which means I haven't been able to afford many pieces, but the pieces I do own I treasure, and I will detail them in a coming post.


Further Research:
Wikipedia: Bakelite
Wikipedia: Catalin
Hexion: Bakelite-Resins (uses today)