Plastic Fantastic? audio description: introduction

In the early twentieth century, a new material called plastic appeared in homes and shops across Wakefield.  

Plastic was modern, lightweight, cheap and hardwearing. The introduction of plastic meant more families could afford everyday goods. It often made life safer and more convenient.  By the late twentieth century, people used plastic objects every day.  

But plastics can cause problems. Most plastics are made using non-renewable fossil fuels like oil and coal. Most are not biodegradable. They can last in the environment for hundreds of years. They can harm humans and nature. Today, plastic waste is a global problem.  

In this exhibition, you can explore some of our amazing collection of bold and bright plastic homewares from the mid-twentieth century. You can discover both the positive and negative impacts of plastic on our lives. Decide for yourself – is plastic really fantastic?

Plastic is a man-made material that can be moulded with heat.  

Plastics are made from polymers, which are like tiny building blocks linked into chains. These chains give plastic strength and flexibility.  

There are two types of plastics. Thermoplastics can be reheated and recycled. Thermosetting plastics are hard and cannot be reshaped, making them harder to reuse.

Key object: Elephant napkin ring, around 1940 
Unknown maker, phenolic plastic 
There is a replica of this object available for you to touch. It is behind you on the wall to the left of the doors as you enter the gallery, mounted on the waist-height ledge running around the gallery.
This object is a novelty napkin ring in the shape of an elephant. It would have been a playful addition to a dinner party table setting. It is made from a strong early plastic, which allowed it to be formed into its quirky shape.
The ring forms the body of the elephant. It would have held a rolled up napkin. There is a simple tail and two short stout feet and the silhouette of an elephant’s head with its distinctive trunk curling upwards.
The napkin ring is a bright orange with a slight translucence. The outside is smooth to the touch but the sides and the edge of the ring have a rough texture.

Plastic can be shaped and coloured to look like natural materials.
Plastic can be made to look like ivory, tortoiseshell or polished wood. A plastic called celluloid replaced ivory in billiard balls. Bakelite, the first fully synthetic (man-made) plastic, could be moulded into almost anything. Plastic allowed people to buy expensive-looking objects at a fraction of the cost. It made luxury items available to many more people and households.
Plastic products appeared in luxury shops like Harrods in London. But their real impact was in everyday life. More people could now afford expensive-looking hairbrushes, combs, cutlery handles, buttons and jewellery. Radios, telephones, kitchenware, and electric light switches appeared in many more homes.

Key object: Letter opener, 1900–1930s 
Unknown maker, cellulose nitrate 
This moulded plastic paper knife is made to look like carved ivory, but it is actually made from a semi-synthetic (partly man-made) plastic.
It is decorated with a small 3D pig.
The letter opener is shaped like a convex blade with a slight curve. It is formed of a single piece of plastic with a smooth polished finished. It has a thicker handle end and a pointed sharp end. You would slide the sharp end along the top of envelopes to open your letters. A miniature model of a pig is fixed to the letter opener just below the handle end. The pig has a distinctive curly tail and is holding a green plastic clover leaf in its mouth. The leaf gives the object a splash of colour in contrast to its mostly pale yellow tone. The clover leaf also represents good luck. Perhaps in the hope that the letters would bring the reader good news.

On the wooden ledge, there are 2 items made from natural materials. One is a drinking cup made from bone. The other is a polished hard wood. These materials were used before we had man-made plastics. You can touch these materials.
Can you describe how they feel? Are they different or similar to plastic? What sound do they make if you tap them?

There is an open door to the right of this section. The room on the other side of the door is the Front Room gallery. It is not part of the Plastic Fantastic exhibition. The exhibition continues after the doorway. Please continue to move clockwise around the room.