The Art of Time
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The Art of Time
Beginning in 1947, the designers at George Nelson Associates created more than 100 unique time pieces with Howard Miller. Nelson's archival estate was bequeathed to the Vitra Design Museum in 1986. Vitra began producing original Nelson Clocks in 1999. Shop the current complete collection of desk & wall clocks.
Clocks listed as in stock are on hand and ship direct from Charlotte NC.
George Nelson (1908-1986), was one of the most influential American designers. Nelson studied architecture at Yale University and later became the first editor of Architectural Forum. After reading Nelson's 1945 book on design, Tomorrow's House, Herman Miller hired him in 1947 to be his Director of Design. Ray & Charles Eames, Richard Schultz, Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi all worked under George Nelson at Herman Miller. That same year, Nelson also opened up his own design studio and was commissioned to create a collection of clocks for Herman Miller. George Nelson brought together some of the top designers in America—designing under his label. Over 35 years of collaboration with Howard Miller, the designers at George Nelson Associates created more than one hundred clocks, the Coconut Chair, Marshmallow Sofa and hundreds of other designs—as well as dozens of books and articles. 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 is a Swiss family-owned company with headquarters in Birsfelden, Switzerland and large campus and design museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany. Willi Fehlbaum, the founder of Swiss family-owned Vitra, discovered chairs designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1953 on a trip to the USA and decided to become a furniture manufacturer. He met the Eames in person soon after and developed a lasting friendship that has shaped Vitra throughout its history. Over the past 60+ years, Vitra has worked closely with some of the world’s most important designers and their descendants. These collaborations have led to the production of many classics: furnishings & accessories from another era that remain as timely and vital as ever and continue to move and inspire us. As a furniture manufacturer, Vitra maintains a close relationship with its designers—whom they refer to as authors—and the result of these collaborations is always an original. In collaboration with Vitra, the designers dedicate their time, expertise and craftsmanship to the development and launch of new products.
Following in the tradition and spirit of Charles and Ray Eames, the sustainability of design is central to all activities at Vitra. The family-run company believes in the power of designs that forgo stylistic trends and eliminate superfluous details. The longevity of Vitra products is the combined result of their design, function and quality. Vitra products are designed and developed in Switzerland.