Plastic fantastic: The pre-war Bakelite auction expected to raise thousands

A rare plastic coffin is part of a collection of 1930s and 1940s Bakelite which is to be auctioned off. The 6ft-long casket is one of only five ever produced and is the largest object to have been made from the world's first synthetic plastic. It is among 24 lots from a private collection that will go under the hammer next week, including intercom telephones, a hairdryer, clocks and a 1949 TV set.

In its heyday during the 30s and 40s, the 'material of a thousand uses' was widely used to make everything from electric guitars to machine guns. But the mottled brown plastic fell out of fashion in the 60s and 70s as fashion-conscious homeowners opted for brighter colours. It is now increasingly collectible because of its retro appeal, its rarity, and because of its labour-intensive manufacturing.

'Collectors may choose to specialise in a brand such as Bakelite or particular pieces such as televisions, toys or ashtrays. But who will want the coffin and why is anyone's guess at this moment. The press used to mould such a gigantic piece as this coffin must have been fantastically powerful. But it never caught on.' The early coffin was one of just five made by the Eagle Works Bakelite factory in Manchester during the early 1930s. Its original catalogue is included in the sale.

However Bakelite coffins had a major design flaw. Unlike wood the material is impermeable which means corpses inside them are not able to decompose in the normal way. Other lots include household items such as a 1949 Bakelite television, a model of the land speed record car, the Irving-Napier Golden Arrow, and a molecular microscope.

The TV and the Golden Arrow are expected to raise £150 each, while a molecular microscope is expected to fetch around £250. Bakelite was first developed between 1907 and 1909 by Belgian scientist Dr Leo Baekeland, from whom it takes its name. It was first used for its heat-resistant properties as an electric insulator in radio casings, and was later used for products as diverse as children's toys and jewellery. Today, Bakelite is primarily used as a substitute for porcelain and other opaque ceramics where fine detail is unimportant. Billiard balls, dominos, chess pieces and dice are all still commonly made from the material. The worse thing for me is that I remember watching one of those televisions, in those days it had no contrast, so you could only watch it in a dark room with the curtains closed.