George Nelson Ceramic Clocks


George Nelson Ceramic Clocks
Model #1, 1953


Vitra is coming out with several new table clocks which were designed by George Nelson in 1953. Clock Model #1 is a pretty hot clock with a wonderful space age form and rounded curves.




George Nelson Ceramic Clocks
Model #2, 1953


George Nelson: Model #2 Ceramic Table Clock by Vitra. George Nelson's Clock Model #2 features an elegant all white ceramic structure with a star-shaped face marked only with 12 minimal black dots which indicate the position of the hours. Very beautiful and timeless, this clock is a classic. Ceramic Clock Model #2 was designed by George Nelson in 1953. This attractive modern table clock is sure to be enjoyed for many years to come.





George Nelson Ceramic Clocks
Model #3, 1953


This is such an amazing table clock. George Nelson was far ahead of his time when he designed this modernist table clock in 1953. In fact, its stylish shape reminds us of the omnipresent prevailing Space Age design trend of the World's Fair in Osaka Japan in 1970. Beautiful, timeless and very iconic. This table clock is a great little desk top sculpture and a perfect fit for the home and the office. This clock features a grey color glazed ceramic housing and a white porcelain face.

The history about the George Nelson clocks:

If this would be a popularity contest, George Nelson's clock creations would certainly receive the top award. These iconic modern clocks are part of museum collection world wide and are recognized as brilliant and undisputed design gems of the mid 20th century American design movement.

Around 1950, Americans had a deeply rooted conviction in uninterrupted progress and never-ending economic prosperity. Nothing seemed to be impossible and everyone wanted to be modern. George Nelson designed a range of products offering a new and unconventional interpretation of such everyday items as lamps, wall clocks and other domestic accessories. Up to the 1970s George Nelson's New York design office created a wide range of models. These included the "Nelson Bubble Lamp" and the "Nelson Ball Clock", items that have been promoted as icons of 1950s design.

With the Ceramic Clocks, the first thing that catches the eye is their playful design and their shape. These table clocks have a somewhat geometric yet organic look about them that is evocative of sculptures by artists such as Constantin Brancusi or Isamu Noguchi. The clock cases are entirely made of glazed ceramics. The colors used, and the design of the clock faces in particular, leave us in no doubt as to their functional purpose.

The Ceramic Clocks were designed in the early 1950s and developed as far as the production stage. For reasons unknown, however, they never made it to the production line. Based on the original plans and prototypes, the Vitra Design Museum is now, for the first time ever, bringing these original quartz movement clocks to the market.

George Nelson clocks are available from:
http://www.nova68.com

Eames House Bird


Charles and Ray Eames: Eames House Bird
Vitra, Germany.


Looking for a cool pet which requires no maintenance? The Eames House Bird may just be what you are looking for! It doesn't do any monkey business and as a bonus, you don't need to cope with the squawking and screeching of a real bird flying around your living room or bedroom. Now won't you agree you will be a lot happier with a wooden bird?

The Eames House Bird by Vitra is a beautiful and highly decorative modern accent piece! Charles and Ray Eames augmented the interior collage of the Eames House with numerous objects brought back from their extensive travels. Produced in Appalachia in the 1910s, this anonymous black bird from the Eames House rose to stardom in the 1950s when it appeared in silhouette with a group of Eames DKR chairs. The figure of a black wooden bird — evidently one of their most prized objects of American folk art — has stood in the center of the Eames House living room for over fifty years. The Eames House Bird is also seen as an accessory in many of the photographs which were taken by Charles and Ray Eames.

Available from:
http://www.nova68.com

Have a Happy Weekend!


Andy Warhol in legendary nightclub Studio 54 with Jerry Hall

Beach Culture in the 1970's



Joseph Szabo, Jones Beach



While other photographers were photographing the wild exploits at Studio 54 in the 1970s, Joseph Szabo went with a totally different ball game (no pun intended), capturing the beach crowds of Long Island. Interestingly enough, the subjects they photographed are equally interesting, "perhaps" because they were the same subjects, partying the night away at Studio 54 (or more likely Plato's Retreat) in NYC and sleeping the day away on the beach.



Beginning in the early 1970s, Joseph Szabo started capturing the melting pot of humanity on Jones Beach, one of the busiest strips of sand and ocean in the world with more than six million visitors a year. Among the sea of bodies, Szabo’s camera reveals moments of both quiet introspection and unashamed exuberance.



Images of tanned muscle men, catwalk-like displays of beach wear, heavily oiled skin, masses of sprayed hair, and shy adolescents all reveal the dynamics of the beach so close to New York City. Class, race, and other potential divisions are temporarily forgotten, and the perfect and the flawed are portrayed with the same respect and tenderness.



Joseph Szabo, a photographer and former high school teacher, whose iconic images of Long Island teenagers have inspired the likes of Bruce Weber, Terry Richardson, Sofia Coppola and Juergen Teller, spent three decades strolling the sand there, candidly shooting its rather remarkable sunbathers.



The Beach photographs are an explosion of bodies, every type imaginable. Some near perfect, others near extinction, but all are tattooed with summer pride and pleasure taken in play, in touch, in looking and being looked upon. Joe's lens picks up on the group and individual dynamics and reveals the flaw as the norm. The images are meant to be clear, unpretentious and vital. Every single point of reference, every body line and angle, every glint, every shadow, every form and curve, are noticed and all expressions, body and facial are natural and relaxed. These photos are made in trust, trust between the photographer and the subject. And there is truth in the people who are in them because Joe Szabo feels respect and is of the people at the beach. Joe Szabo likes the people he photographs and enjoys what they enjoy.



As the New York Times stated is so eloquently, though some might beg to differ, Joseph Szabo regards Jones Beach as "the best place to be in the summertime". Not exactly "Wish You Were Here" postcard material, but intriguing never the less!



Joseph Szabo is an internationally acclaimed artist whose last two books (Teenage, Almost Grown) have influenced and been admired by a whole generation of photographers. Fans of Szabo, Jones Beach, and people interested in beach culture in general will treasure this funny, sexy, lovely volume created over 35 years.

Jones Beach will go on sale on April 1st 2010 and is published by Abrams.

Gucci Space Age Shoes


Pretty fabulous Space Age Pumps by Gucci.
Use for preparation of your future moon landing or as a modernist space age dominatrix.

http://www.dellamoda.com

Tree Identification Guide









In our quest for uncommon goods we stumbled upon this very interesting tree identification guide which is handcrafted in Paris France. Finding the perfect gift for the budding arborist and tree hugger shouldn't be hard. This very special gift set will especially appeal to those who love nature, the outdoors, trees and all things not man-made. It is also a great educational tool and a useful tree identification guide for the most common trees in Europe and North America.


This tree identification guide contains 20 cubes. Each wooden cube is made of a different type of wood to help identify the main types of European and North American trees. Each cube features a drawing of the leaf of the tree and its name in Latin, French, English and German. One side of the puzzle depicts a pine tree. The box also contains a file of 36 cards for easy identification of trees most common in Europe and North America. Each card shows a tree with a color photo of its leaves and bark which will facilitate identification, as well as a short synopsis of its particularities, and information concerning its wood and commercial uses. This deluxe edition is presented in a gift box as pictured. This heirloom quality wooden gift set is one of the finest and most stylish gift ideas we have seen in years. A most welcome and refreshingly non-technical gift idea (no need for any apps to downloads). It will certainly please even the most hard-to-shop-for friends. Handcrafted and imported from Paris, France.



We all travel the milky way together, trees and men... trees are travellers, in the ordinary sense. They make journeys, not very extensive ones, it is true: but our own little comes and goes are only little more than tree-wavings - many of them not so much. John Muir

Available from:

Pol Bury Man in Motion


Pol Bury Man in Motion

modern design interior is a modern design blog featuring modern design news on modern furniture, modern lighting, modern architecture and modern home decor. modern design interior is the premier modern design blog reporting on modern designs, modern designers, modern furniture, italian furniture, designer furniture, mid century modern design, space age design, fifties design, sixties design and seventies design, modern lighting, modern homes, modern architecture, modern architects, modern prefab, contemporary architecture, modern style, sixties fashion, mod fashion, modern art, modern home decor, modern interior design, modern home design, contemporary furniture, modern design ideas and much much more.

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Standard Station by Ed Ruscha



Standard Station by Ed Ruscha, 1966.

One of the more impressive works in the history of modern art is Ed Ruscha's Standard Station which he created in 1966. Standard Station was based on the minimal modern architecture of the classic gas stations of yesteryear (in this case by Chevron). At a Bonhams & Butterfields fine prints auction held simultaneously in Los Angeles and San Francisco in November of 2009, Standard Station fetched the highest price ever paid at auction for a print by the artist Edward Ruscha. The work, produced in 1966, depicts a 1960s-style Standard Oil gas station in bright red, orange, and blue hues. The image displays the bold use of color and the dramatic angles that characterize Ed Ruscha’s Pop Art style. Standard Station had a presale estimate price of $30,000 to $40,000 so his prices are definitely in a speedy upward elevator.

http://www.edruscha.com

The de Tomaso Pantera



de Tomaso 
Pantera

The de Tomaso Pantera was quite the car. As you can see your $10K went a lot further in 1971. And Ford certainly had style on it's mind, more than it does today. At the time de Tomaso Pantera was released, the cost was only $10,000.00.



In Italy, men build cars with passion. One of them is Alejandro de Tomaso. And this is his car. Pantera. Conceived without compromise. A car so beautifully built (it is virtually hand made) there will only be 2,500 made the first year (1971). Mid-engined like a racing car. An ultra-high-peformance sports coupe that stands a little higher than the average man's belt buckle, it seats two (and only two) and it's priced in the neighborhoud of $10,000.



Clearly, Ford isn't interested to supply "the few" any longer.

Style Icon 1965


Style Icon 1965: Gloria Steinem as photographed by Yale Joel

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Art by Yayoi Kusama






The galaxy is filled with dots, I am a dot, You are a dot, Countries are just dots, everything is dots!

Love Forever!

Yayoi Kusama

Strawberry Alarm Clock



Soooooooooo beautiful...

Pschydelic exercise of the day


Modern psychedelic exercise of the day. A good start is to download "Celestial Music For Sitar". Now, we believe each of strokes in swimming have certain qualities conducive to Tai Chi. So lay back on your chair with your back bending backwards over the edge of the chair. Point your back, arms and hands to degree you feel comfortable with. Let your head gently fall backwards. You are now floating in space and you feel super good. Make continuous fluid breaststrokes. Exactly like you would in a swimming pool but upside down. Make sure you have a stable chair which does not flip over. Think you are floating. Relaxing indeed.

Art at the Roy Lichtenstein Studio





Step back in time and enjoy a visit with Roy Lichtenstein in 1963.

A rare glimpse in the Roy Lichtenstein studio in 1963 as photographed by John Leongard for Life. Interesting to see how Roy Lichtenstein created his art. Some of the pictured works have not seen the light of day ever since they have been in private collections including the "Woman with Flowered Hat" which was based on the cubist work by Pablo Picasso. Don't you just wish you had a time machine now and could hit "1963", walk into his studio with a suitcase full of money, and walk out with all these icons?


Roy Lichtenstein used a projector to project images on white canvas. He traced the projections on the white canvas. A metal raster with small holes, a tooth brush and paint was all he needed. Incredible.


Picasso's always been such a huge influence that I thought when I started the cartoon paintings that I was getting away from Picasso, and even my cartoons of Picasso were done almost to rid myself of his influence. I don't think that I'm over his influence but they probably don't look like Picassos; Picasso himself would probably have thrown up looking at my pictures. - Roy Lichtenstein.

Thanks for your legacy Roy, we sure miss you!

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Aristotle Onassis in 1969


Powerplay in 1969. Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis & Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis (Aristotle Onassis's butler Alex Magnos R rear) sitting at table, celebrating 1st anniversary of their marriage with friends at Neraida nightclub in Greece in 1969.

Courtesy

1960s Advertising







Love these very fine mod pop graphics of this 1968 fashion ad for sunglasses. Kind of like a mix between Henri Matisse, Mary Quant and Gio Ponti. Very stylish indeed.

Marisa Berenson 1970s Top Model


Marisa Berenson 1970s Top Model

Marisa Berenson was one of the highest paid top fashion models of the late 1960s and early 1970s and she was a darling of fashion magazine "Vogue". The grandchild of famous designer Elsa Schiaparelli, Marisa Berenson entered the showbiz as a fashion model and became one of the most successful models during the late 1960s and early 1970s thanks to her frequent appearance on Vogue magazine and later in Time Magazine. She was known as "The Queen of the Scene" for her frequent appearances at nightclubs and other social venues in her youth. Yves Saint Laurent dubbed her "the girl of the Seventies". After working as a model, she became an actress in the early to mid 1970s and became famous for her outstanding roles in the movies “Death in Venice” (1971), “Cabaret” (1972) and “Barry Lyndon (1975).

"Once upon a time there were ladies who were totally secure within their own environment. These ladies, so amusing and delicious, illustrated on these covers of Vogue, were the illusion of dreaming. These tantalizing come-on girls on these covers were the curtain-raisers to the world of opportunity and the future" Diana Vreeland, noted columnist of Harper's Bazaar and Vogue.

George Nelson Pleated Star Clock


The George Nelson Pleated Star Clock is an usual and hard to find clock which George Nelson created in 1955 for the Howard Miller Clock Company. This modern wall clock measures 18" in diameter. Available at the upcoming modern design auction of Wright20 in Chicago on March 23rd 2010. Estimate at $2,000 to $3,000.

Cari Zalloni


Cari Zalloni, Italian Pottery, late 1960s

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