Clock, 1905
Charles Green and Sonexpand_more
Silver, glassexpand_more
The Modernism Collection, gift of Norwest Bank Minnesotaexpand_more 98.276.64
Not on Viewexpand_more
This is one of the earliest digital clocks, pre-electrification. Though an Austrian engineer developed a digital time display for watches in the late 19th century, today most of us prefer digital displays for alarm clocks and smartphones, not for watches.
This clock is a version of the digital Plato clock, patented by Eugene L. Fitch in New York in 1903. Shown in St. Louis at the 1904 World’s Fair, the Plato clock took the clock world by storm, and manufacturers in the U.S. and Europe produced it. Known by its celluloid (early plastic) leaves hand painted with the hour at the top and the minutes at the bottom, this especially lovely sterling silver Plato clock still has its celluloid page retainer.
Details
- Title
- Clock
- Artist Life
- Birmingham, England, 1863-present
- Role
- Silversmith
- Accession Number
- 98.276.64
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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