Time never looked so good as it does in my kitchen. That’s where I have this clock displayed. It’s known as a ball clock and it was designed by George Nelson (1908-1986). He was an architect and designer and is regarded as one of the founding fathers of American modernism. “Form plus function” was the adage followed by many modernists. George Nelson included. One critic says Mr. Nelson was the “creator of beautiful and practical things.” And when I look at this clock on my wall, I tend to agree.

George Nelson designed the ball clock in the late 1940s. It’s estimated he designed over 150 clocks. Another popular clock design of his is known as sunburst. All of Nelson’s clocks were designed for the HM clock company, but they discontinued the line in the 1980s. These days a company called the Vitra is the only one licensed to sell original clocks designed by George Nelson.