1950′s Clocks | Buy Retro Clocks

Faux Flip-Clock Alarm Dock
Although strictly speaking, this isn’t a phone, this cool iPhone dock from Areaware converts you existing iPhone into a neat retro-looking flip clock radio that looks it warped right in from the 1970′s. It gives you the look of one of those vintage GE Flip Clocks sitting next to your bed with all the modern technology and convenience of your trusty iPhone. Designed by Jonas Damon, the Alarm Dock by Areaware contains no actual electronics or speakers, it is simply a beautiful sustainably harvested beech wood case that you feed your charger cord into, then just dock your iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4 and 4S and start [...]
Test Page Wall Clock
Please Stand By… From Nextime, Dutch design company which has made a name for itself by designing a whole slew of cool and funky clocks from the modern and mundane to the down right wacky, the contemporary styled Test Page Glass Wall Clock lies somewhere right in between. This glass faced wall clock was designed by Fritz Fink as a humorous take on the retro, nostalgic old test pattern shown on televisions when the networks went off the air. Gosh, it’s hard to believe there was a time when TV wasn’t running 24 hours a day. With a large, multicolored, 17″ glass face and rectangular metal hands [...]
Stylish Number Design Wall Clock
Cool Number Wall Clock! A recent trend in wall clocks has been oddly shaped numbers free-floating around the central movement and I have to admit that I am kind of a sucker for these contemporary clocks. I have seen them made from wood and plastic but the vast majority of them a cut out of thin metal with a plasma cutter. But anyone that has seen these clocks around has to admit that these number clocks can very widely in how well they are executed. Like any trend, the market is soon flooded with poor quality reproductions that don’t show [...]
Cool Retro Flip Clock
Remember the retro flip clocks from the 60s? The precursor to the digital clocks of the 1970s, flip clocks were an analog method of showing the time as a digital representation. As the minutes pass by, a panel with half of a numeral printed on both front and back flips down. The two halves of each digit fit together to form a bold and easy to read number to indicate the minute. The same thing is repeated once an hour to show the hour. It is a very simple mechanical solution from the days before miniaturization created circuits that were small enough to fit [...]
Build A 7 Ft Grandfather Clock With K’NEX
How would you like to build your own full size 7 ft tall, fully functional grandfather clock? Well unless you have years of experience in fine woodworking, this is probably something you are not going to attempt. Well, it may not be as hard as you think is you choose the right building materials. When my son was 7 years old we bought him a small set of a plastic building toy called K’NEX. It is kind of like the modern-day answer to the old Erector Set. Over the years, we collected more and more sets and his building projects expanded to be more and [...]

Spoon and Fork Starburst Wall Clock

Mar 122012

Retro design legend George Nelson has created many cool retro starburst wall clocks in almost every size shape and material you can think of but one of the most popular takes on this timeless design is the Spoon and Fork Starburst Wall Clock. While this cutlery clock concept is often imitated it is rarely duplicated by the original classic design of the starburst clock master.

The Spoon and Fork Clock is a perfect kitchen clock but that is kind of a no brainer, it is also great for your dining room or for your favorite foodie, chef, cooking enthusiast or anyone who just loves retro starbusts clocks. It has a metallic face and tall modern looking numbers and it points the time with a small fork and knife as hour and minute hands, there is no second hand.

The Fork and Knife Starburst Wall Clock is made by Control Brands and while it is officially licensed by the George Nelson estate it is nowhere near the quality of many of many other Nelson clocks on the market like the beautiful clocks being reproduced by Vitra. Although it looks like metal it is actually made of some sort of metallic plastic material and it is pretty fragile, so you need to be careful when removing it from its packaging. This retro wall clock is strictly a novelty clock but once you get is up on the wall you need not worry about it bending or breaking. But it looks great and it is accurate and as whimsically retro as any of the George Nelson starburst clocks.

One other criticism I have is that the knife and fork clock hands are similar in color to the face of the clock making it somewhat difficult to read from a distance sometimes. Taken for what it is this is really a neat kitchen clock and should provide a uniquely modern touch to anyplace that involves the culinary arts.

This distinctly retro timepiece can go for as much as $60 – $75 dollars but I wouldn’t recommend paying that much for it. The best price I found The George Nelson Spoon and Fork Starburst Wall Clock was through Amazon for the bargain price of only $27.45.

Retro Le Jeux Wall Clock

Retro Clocks, Uncategorized No Responses »

Feb 132012

Behold the vintage style of the Le Jeux Wall Clock! This cool retro wall clock from Infinity Instruments is a great throw-back clock that has the perfect mid-century style to complete any retro decor. This gleaming silver wall clock is anything but subtle, at a little over 27 inches in diameter, I consider this to be more like a piece of modern wall art than simply a wall clock.

It seems like in design, everything old is new again. Infinity Instruments is keeping up with that old adage by presenting a whole string of wall clocks that although they have the latest in modern timekeeping technology on the inside, have the look and style that looks as if it comes from a simpler time. The Le Jeux Wall Clock features a highly accurate quartz movement on the inside the sunburst-style outside looks like something straight out of a mid-century home from the 1950′s.

The alternating metal pattern radiated out from the dial in creating that optimistically futuristic style of the 50′s and early 60′s. This clock doesn’t want to dutifully hide in a corner ready to tell you the time when you need it. this large retro clock demands attention and deserves to be hung over a modern sofa or be mounted proudly over a fireplace.

The dial of the Le Jeux Wall Clock has cool slim line hands and easy to read hour hash marks with the distinctive retro Infinity Instruments “running man” logo but other than that it remains simple and clear making it easy to read.

So kick your retro home decor up a notch with this contemporary version of a vintage style wall clock that is as sculptural as it is practical. You can buy the Le Jeux Wall Clock at Art & Home for $134.95, that’s about $25 off the full retail price of $159.00.

George Nelson Starburst Wall Clock

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Nov 112011

Few retro wall clocks are as iconic as those designed by George Nelson for Howard Miller in the late 1940s and 1950s eventually designing over 150 amazing wall clock designs. The Starburst Wall Clock is probably one of the most popular of these cool, vintage styled clocks.

Unlike the similar Sunburst wall clocks which had a similar shape but came in black or wood finishes, the Starburst Wall Clock is recognizable for its bright modern colors. It has a cheerful and positive appearance that is recognized and appreciated to this day. It makes a great kitchen clock or it can be a charming focal point in any retro home decor.

The George Nelson Starburst wall clock is 18 1/2 inches in diameter and was originally plugged directly into the wall with a power cord. At the time they retailed for about $30.00 and were quite good sellers. Nevertheless, very few have survived to this day and it is very hard to find a true vintage Starburst Clock today.

An original version of this icon of modern design is quite rare and sells for several hundred dollars and up which made having that quaint mid-century look a bit difficult until recently when the Vitra Design Museum re-issued many of George Nelson’s original designs. These aren’t just cheap knock offs either, each re-issued wall clock is meticulously crafted to the same standards as the original Howard Miller wall clocks and are authorized by the George Nelson estate.

It does have a modern quartz movement and keeps perfect time off of a regular AA battery so there is no plugging it into the wall, but other than that it is constructed from the same lacquered wood and zinc alloy body and made with the same proportions and colors as the authentic original.

I have seen many of these Vitra Design Museum’s re-issues for up to $350.00 and even more but that is not surprising because of their high quality and fun design, but if you look around like I did, you can find them for a much lower price. I found a George Nelson Starburst Wall Clock here for only $136.80 which is a pretty amazing price.

So if you want a cool retro wall clock with an authentic look and style, the Starburst Wall Clock is a great choice.