The image comes via the Plastics Historical Society (of which I am a member) - and although I can't recall which past journal it was in I remember the author using this advertising literature from the Bakelite Corporation to show dry-moulded colours.

If they were cast phenolics (and at this stage I can't be 100% certain they aren't), then the Bakelite corporation is referring to them in their own literature as 'Bakelite Molded Colors' showing at least that they were viewing their own cast phenolics as 'Bakelite'. Not just their dry-moulded phenolics.

The name Bakelite, legitimately used by the Bakelite Corporation in the USA and Bakelite Ltd in the UK was used for cast phenolics.

Percy Reboul (who worked at Bakelite Ltd from 1958 onwards) in his article 'Bakelite the Hidden Agenda' in Plastiquarian 40, p.11 (October 2008) says that:

"the Bakelite trade name was also used by later owners of the Bakelite organisation in connection with other plastics materials such as polyester and epoxide resins, urea formaldehyde and even polythene".

Interesting as well in the same article he says that:

"phenolic resins were made by competitive companies under their own trade names. Such products were often described as 'Bakelite' which strictly speaking they were not, but the trade name had become generic. This should worry no-one other than the 'anorak brigade', but one day it might be a fruitful field for the legal profession"

Carole