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Clock (model no. 6366)

A work made of macassar ebony, metal, chrome-plated steel.

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  • A work made of macassar ebony, metal, chrome-plated steel.

Date:

c. 1933

Artist:

Designed by Gilbert Rohde (American, 1894–1944)
Manufactured by the Herman Miller Clock Company (American, active 1926–1937)
Zeeland, Michigan

About this artwork

Although he lacked formal artistic training, Gilbert Rohde pioneered the field of 20th-century design by creating clean, modern furniture that, like many domestic objects during the first half of the century, skillfully married the machine age with convention. By 1930 Rohde entered into a partnership with furniture manufacturer and distributor the Herman Miller Company, for whom he developed innovative storage cabinets and sectional sofas, among other decorative articles. In 1933 he designed a series of clocks for the company, debuting these in his experimental “Design for Living” interior at the Century of Progress International Exposition in Chicago. For this example, Rohde employed opulent Macassar ebony for the body and accented it with chrome-plated steel. The gleaming metal bands give the clock a streamlined, modern appearance—as do the stylized numbers on the face—while the dark, polished wood provides the impression of solidity and tradition.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Arts of the Americas

Artist

Gilbert Rohde (Designer)

Title

Clock (model no. 6366)

Place

Zeeland (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

c. 1933

Medium

Macassar ebony, metal, chrome-plated steel

Dimensions

41.3 × 8.3 × 15.9 cm (16 1/4 × 3 1/4 × 6 1/4 in.)

Credit Line

Stanley and Polly Stone Endowment; American Art Purchase Fund

Reference Number

2009.734

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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