SHULTZ  BAKELITE

an interview with Ron & Ester Shultz

Ron and Ester Shultz make some of the most charming, colorful and interesting bakelite being crafted today. They utilize older pieces of bakelite, which they cut, carve, laminate and paint to create their pieces. Not only are they talented and creative, but they are two of the most giving and generous people you will ever meet.  It was a delight to speak with Esther about their work and what it means to them.

Question: How did you begin working with bakelite, Ester?

Ester: When we started making bakelite jewelry in the late 1980s, we were on the antique show circuit. We would travel many miles each  week to do a show and be home as often as we could to make more pieces to sell. It was a hard work but we loved  it.

When we did see bakelite and begin to learn about it we saw it's potential and loved the colors. 

We collected buttons by the hundreds back then and that is how we started making the  necklaces that put us in the business. We still like the buttons and look for them but they have gotten very rare and expensive.

  SHULTZ bakelite red apple and worm brooch with amazing laminated worm, butterscotch and black laminated details, 3". The worm itself was amazingly hard work...it is all laminated to make the turn in his neck. It is one of the most difficult pieces Ron ever made. This piece is in the book "Bakelite Pins" by Karima Parry, page 157.   View   View   #B65507

  SHULTZ bakelite checked bangle and hat brooch, bangle 2-1/2" by 7/8" by 1/3", hat 3". The colors include blue, shocking pink, yellow, lavender, red, black and yellow.   View   View  View  View   View   #B35945

 SHULTZ bakelite red and black dog and doghouse brooch with gold tone chain, a real charmer, 2-1/3" by 2".   #B64794

Question: How did Ron get started working with bakelite?

Ron & Ester: Ron found a big Bakelite clear ball at a flea market here in Florida one day, took a hack saw to it and sawed it into slices. From of one of the slices he turned out a wonderful little dolphin. His tail was curved and his fins were wavy. That was the first ever Shultz piece.

We both had a hand in the carving of the pieces. It was a such fun. 
It took many years of work and experimentation to arrive at the quality  of work that we do today. Every day was a learning experience and we are still learning. It has been well over 20 years now.

Question: Do you keep an archive or pictures of your own pieces? 

Ron & Ester: We do not have a collection of our jewelry. It has all gone out the door almost as soon as it was made. When we did the shows, we would have a big display of our jewelry in cases and the customers just loved the wonderful bakelite colors.

SHULTZ bakelite green chunky bangle with striped dots and overlapping cream and black dots, 2-1/2" by 1-5/8" by 1/3".   View   #B64671

  SHULTZ bakelite two row bangle with multi-colored slice checks alternating with apple juice checks, slices are red, yellow, green and black, 2-1/2" by 1" by 1/3".    #B65665

SHULTZ bakelite two row rainbow bangle, 2-1/2" by 1-1/2" by 1/3". Not only does this have every color of the rainbow, but the curves make a lovely optical illusion of circles as well.   View   #B36231  

Question: What is it about working with vintage bakelite that appeals to you?

Ron:  I like working with Bakelite because it is so unique. It can look so worthless and be turned into something so beautiful, charming and whimsical. It can bring joy and happiness to collectors and I like that.

It holds a place of its own and never seems to loose its value but only grows better and more desirable with age. Sometime I wish I had taken pictures of everything we have made but I was always too busy making it and selling it to do that.

SHULTZ bakelite red and green Christmas wreath brooch, marked on back "Shultz #4", 2-1/4".    View   View   #B31431

SHULTZ bakelite cherries, bananas and ladybug brooch, 4" by 2-1/2".   View   #B31416  

  SHULTZ bakelite red Christmas tree pin with yellow top star and ornaments, 3-1/3".   View   View  #B25287

SHULTZ red bakelite and leather cowboy brooch with hand painted details, 3-1/3".

   SHULTZ red bakelite strawberry brooch with green painted bracts and carved seeds, 2-1/3".  View  #B13966 

   SHULTZ  yellow and black bakelite 2-1/2" bowler pin with painted details.  View   #B15955 

Question:  What part of the process do each of you do?

Ester:  We both work on the jewelry together. I am the ace carver. I do the carving on the pins and the reverse carved bracelets and I help Ron with the dotting.

He does the checks and the bulk of the finishing. He is the sander and polisher. It is exacting and sometimes tedious work, but we enjoy it.

  SHULTZ checked bangle combination.   View

Shultz bangles stack.

SHULTZ dots and checks.

Question:  What pieces you you like best to work on? To wear?

Ester:  We like doing the bracelets best. It is something we can do together, and they are always popular. There are so may different things you can do to a bracelet. When we think we have exhausted all our ideas another one pops up. 

As for wearing our jewelry. I have one piece that I have kept and love to wear. It is a Scotty dog that is sitting with his back to you and looking over his shoulder. I have only done one of them and like him so much I kept him and haven't done any more. 

Question: Does making your living in a creative endeavor make your life different than a more "typical" job might? 

Ester:  This work has enabled us to be where we want to be. It gives us the opportunity to do charity work with needy people who are having problems finding enough food to make it through the month.  Most of the folks we are able to help are the elderly folks with very little income and young children.   
 

God has given us a ministry to help supply that need. By being here doing this work we have been able to do the jewelry and also have the time participate in church work. A few years ago, we were in the toy ministry and gave thousands of stuffed animals to different ministries here in the US and Peru, Mexico and Haiti. I believe we were able to send 2,000 stuffed toys to the "Katrina" kids that year through one of the churches here in where we live.
We recycle older materials. make our living and are able to do charity work as well.

SHULTZ bakelite rare palm tree brooch in laminated in red, blue, green, yellow and blue on a red base, 3" by 2-1/4".  View   #B64239

   SHULTZ bakelite buttons brooch in butterscotch, red, green and black with red bar top, 3-1/4".  This piece is in the book Bakelite Pins" by Karima Parry, page 175.   View   #B64240

   SHULTZ bakelite school days brooch with ABC dice, a pencil and a red apple, 2-1/2".   View  #B64282

SHULTZ bakelite three row bangle in wonderful red, yellow, green, purple, blue and pastel blue, 2-1/2" by 1-1/2" by 1/4".   View   #B64681

SHULTZ bakelite three row bangle in transparent red and cream with dots in blue, pink, yellow, red and black, 2-1/2" by 1-1/2" by 1/3".   #B64449

SHULTZ bakelite three row check bangle in lovely transparent green and cream, an older Shultz piece, 2-1/2" by 1-1/3" by 1/3".   #B64683