Clothing
+ Fashion		Jewelry +
Watches		Home +
Furniture		 Pottery 
+ Glass		Art +
 Photos 		Paper +
  Books  		Music +
Movies		Toys +
Games		Sports +
Outdoors		Ads +
  Signs  		Eras +
Themes

After World War II, design evolved from Art Deco and Streamline Moderne to Mid-century Modern, which reigned from the mid-1940s until the mid-1960s. No corner of the home was untouched by this new, casual, atomic-era aesthetic, including furnishings and accessories such as clocks.

The hint of timepieces to come began in the late 1930s, when the Glo-Dial Clock Corporation of Los Angeles began producing neon-illuminated clocks for business such as bars and garages. Most of these early Glo-Dials had neon behind the clock’s round frame to illuminate the dial (thus the company’s name), but later models had an additional ring of neon on the outside, too...

George Nelson was undoubtedly the most influential clock designer of the period. When he wasn’t designing furniture for Herman Miller Corporation he was working with the Howard Miller Clock Co. on a series of marvelous modern wall clocks. He made clocks whose hands pointed to colored balls on the ends of slender shafts; clocks that resembled sunbursts, sunflowers, and asterisks; and even a clock that suggested a human eye.

Nelson had countless imitators, from Seth Thomas to Elgin to Lux to Westclox, although for many contemporary collectors, these vintage Mid-century Modern clocks are every bit as desirable. For example, Seth Thomas made a wall clock with Roman numerals on its face and radiating metal spokes alternating with wooden fans.

Westclox also made sunbursts and starbursts, as these mid-century clocks are variously known, one of which had 48 spokes—some were made of brass and capped with wooden balls, others were solid wood and fashioned in the shape of menacing spikes. Elgin used teak and brass for its spokes, while Lux put flowers at the ends of theirs, creating so-called "atomic daisies." The faces of Lux clocks were also arresting—the dial of one design resembled a 1960s Pop Art red-and-orange bulls-eye.

About our sources | Got something to add?

▼ Expand to read the full article ▼

Show & Tell - Share Your Stuff!

» See all Mid-Century clocks Show & Tells

Interviews & Articles

An Interview With Antique Clock Collector Bill Stoddard

How did I get interested in clocks? Something about them has always been ingrained in me. My mom’s father had a small collection o… [more]

An Interview With Eames Collector and Mid Century Design Aficionado Steve Cabella

As a teenager, I collected everything from vintage bicycles to Coca-Cola to Victorian stuff. Once I realized some of this stuff co… [more]

An Interview With 19th Century Antique Clock Collector Dave Weisbart

I was working as a jewelry department manager for a department store, and I had a customer who brought a clock in for repair. I wa… [more]

Mid-Century Modern Furniture, from Marshmallow Sofas to Hans Wegner Chairs

Mid-century Modern used the technology of mass production to produce good-looking pieces of furniture out of the latest materials.… [more]



Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

National Watch and Clock Museum

National Watch and Clock Museum

This virtual museum, created by the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, lets you stroll through tim… [read review or visit site]

The Mid Century Modernist

The Mid Century Modernist

Stephen Coles' really visual blog dedicated to the Modernist era of design from 1940 to 1970 (aka Mid-century Moder… [read review or visit site]

Clockhistory.com

Clockhistory.com

Bill Stoddard's clock history site offers a trove of great reference information on clock and watch makers includin… [read review or visit site]

Herman Miller Consortium Collection

Herman Miller Consortium Collection

This website showcases several hundred pieces of furniture, held by thirteen museums, that were designed for Herman… [read review or visit site]

National Maritime Museum

National Maritime Museum

Check out this sampling of nautical and maritime items held by the U.K.'s National Maritime Museum and Royal Observ… [read review or visit site]

EamesCollector.com

EamesCollector.com

Steven Cabella's personal homage to Charles and Ray Eames. This site is as clean and visually appealing as the Eame… [read review or visit site]

Dan and Diana's Lux Clock Collection

Dan and Diana's Lux Clock Collection

Dan and Diana Lockett's amazing collection of several hundred novelty Lux clocks made by the Lux Clock Manufacturin… [read review or visit site]

Work of Charles and Ray Eames

Work of Charles and Ray Eames

This Library of Congress microsite is an overview of the postwar modern design work of Charles (1907-78) and Ray (1… [read review or visit site]

Detex Watchman's Clock Album

Detex Watchman's Clock Album

Philip Haselton's guide to watchmen's time recording equipment. Includes 19th century German portables, 20th centur… [read review or visit site]

Classic Modern

Classic Modern

Get a taste of how homes were lit in the 50s, 60s, and 70s with the Danish retro-style lighting designs featured on… [read review or visit site]



Clubs & Associations: Clocks

Discussion Forums: Clocks

Other Great Reference Sites: Clocks

Top eBay Auctions

See all 46 by  highest bid • most watched • completed
Electric Neon Clock Company Vintage Classic Art Deco Diner Modern Eames 1950sMid Century Modern Opart Psychedelic Aurora Clock Hologram Color Changes + BoxVintage Mid Century Starburst Sunburst Elgin Eames Atomic Era Wall Clock 1950sVintage Mid Century Starburst Sunburst Elgin Eames Atomic Era Wall Clock 60s1960's Jaeger Lecoultre Swiss Desk Clock 8-day W/date #362 Mid-century ModernMid Century Modern Brutalist Starbusrt Sunburst Mirror Clock FrameGeorge Nelson Starburst Red Wood Spike Clock Mid Century Modern IconEames Era Vtg Seth Thomas Sunburst Starburst Clock Mid Century Sputnik AtomicGeorge Nelson Wooden Clock Quality Mid Century Danish Modern Retro Vintage Old Mid-century Orange Crush Soda Cola Advertising Clock, Antique SignMid-century Elgin Sunburst Wall Clock 24"Vtg Mid Century Revere Westminster Chime Mantel Clock Telechr​​on MotoredOriginal 1970s Alarm Clock / Lamp Panton Eames Space Age 60s EraVintage 1970s Psychedelic Mod Moebius Face Rca Am/fm Alarm Clock Radio Eames EraVintage Starburst Clock Mid Century Danish Modern 21" Teak Wood General TimeAntique Kewpie Doll Art Pottery Mantel Clock Housing Rose O’neill Germany EamesVintage 1940s Digital Mid Century Machine Age Modernistic Electric Mantel Clock Panasonic Red Model Rc-55 Space Age Eames Atomic Deco Clock RadioVtg Retro Mid-century 23" Syroco Starburst Clock Vgc Works Great!Relide Swiss Bronze Double Desk Shelf Clock Mid Century Modern 60's 8 Days 7jVintage Waterbury Bakelite Old Electric Machine Age Mid Century Art Deco ClockVintage 70s Mid Century Modern Howard Miller Clock Oak Square Mod Wall Original 1970s Krups Wall Clock Eames Panton Space Age 60s EraVintage Mid Century Modern Space Age Panasonic Rc 1091 Clock Radio Matsushita Syroco Brutalist Wall Clock Mcmlxviii Made In Usa 1030 Works Great Mid CenturyVintage 1930s Lincoln Old Electric Art Deco Stremline Mid Century Bakelite ClockVtg Metal United Pocket Watch Wall Clock Made In The Usa Brooklyn Ny Mid CenturyDanish Modern Mod Pop Ge General Electric Wall Clock Howard Miller Eames EraVintage Sunburst Wall Clock Mid Century Eames Era GwoGeorge Nelson Herman Miller Desk Clock Mid Century Modern Eames Era Parts/asisNice! Walnut Elgin Mid-century Modern Retro Wall Clock & Sconces Eames Era Nr!Works! Ge Electric Alarm Flip Clock Faux Wood Eames Era Mid Century Modern 8116kMid Century Danish Modern Seth Thomas Wall Clock, W/orig Quartz MovementVintage Eames Era Mid Century Zonemaster World Time Electric Globe Clock - Fix Vintage Retro Mid Century Modern Wall Clock Ge 2h64 Mod Diamond Shape Runs!Tall Mid Century Modern Wall Clock, So Unique Vintage Mid Century Retro Elgin Starburst Sunburst Wall Clock Teak & BrassMid-century-modern Large Wind-up Clock Made In Germany Untested-no KeyVintage West Clox Baby Ben Mid Century Modern Alarm Clock Space Age Eames EraVintage Old Mid-century Seagram's Wine Coolers Advertising Clock, Antique SignCopal Flip Clock Vintage Mad Men Style Model 227 Mid Century Modern - JapanVintage Art Deco/mid Century American Modern Sessions Elec. Mantle Clock WorksIcs Space Age Retro Radio Alarm Clock 1960s 1970s West Germany Panton Eames Era(2) Vintage Alarm Clocks Flip Zenith Ge Eames Mod R476 1960's Sprite Wall Clock Vintage Retro Mid-century Advertising CollectibleMid Century Welby Starburst 24" Wall Clock
»» Get our weekly Mid Century Modern Clocks email



Right now on eBay

Clocks

Types
Makers
Styles
Other

Mid Century Modern

suggest a category

See also

Share