Wall Clocks - Asterisk Clock
In 1947, the American designer George Nelson was commissioned to create
a collection of clocks. Nelson analysed how people used clocks and concluded
that they read the time by discerning the relative position of the hands, which
made the use of numbers unnecessary. Furthermore, since most people wore
wristwatches, he assumed that clocks had become more of a decorative element
for interiors.
These ideas provided the basis for the first collection of 14
timepieces, consisting of a completely new style of wall clocks and compact
table clocks, which were launched on the market in 1949. Although the models
all shared one common feature – the absence of numbers – the diversity of their
shapes, colours, materials and designs could hardly have been greater.
In the 35 years that followed, the designers at Nelson Associates
conceived more than a hundred different clock models: wall clocks, portable
table clocks and built-in clocks. After Nelson’s death in 1986, his archival
estate, encompassing roughly 7400 manuscripts, plans, drawings, photographs and
slides dating from 1924 to 1984, was acquired by the Vitra Design Museum.
Vitra began reissuing the Nelson Clocks in 1999 and continues to expand
the collection with new pieces from time to time. The Wall Clocks come in
diverse shapes and materials. Equipped with high-quality quartz movements, they
offer a refreshing alternative to conventional clocks – including a wide
selection of different designs to suit almost every taste and fancy.