Isamu Noguchi Clocks
Japanese, American, 1904-1988
A sculptor, painter, ceramicist and furniture and lighting designer, Isamu Noguchi was one of the most prolific and protean creative forces of the 20th century and a key figure in the development of organic modernism. Noguchi’s sculptures and designs — his chairs and tables as well as his timeless Akari lamp and other lighting fixtures — share a common spirit: one of lyrical abstraction, tempo and flow and harmonious balance.
Noguchi was born in Los Angeles to an American mother and Japanese father, and spent most of his childhood in Japan. He returned to the United States at age 13, went to high school in Indiana and enrolled at Columbia University to study medicine. At the same time, he took night courses in sculpture.
Within three months, Noguchi left college to pursue art full time. Noguchi was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1927 and traveled to Paris to work under Constantin Brancusi. It marked a turning point. Inspired by Brancusi, Noguchi embraced abstraction and began to sculpt in the expressive, rhythmic style that would be the hallmark of his work.
Once back in New York, Noguchi was introduced to design by what would become a lifelong collaboration creating sets for choreographer Martha Graham. His first industrial designs were in Bakelite: the sleek Measured Time kitchen timer created circa 1932, and his famed Zenith Radio Nurse intercom, from 1937.
Ten years later, Herman Miller introduced Noguchi’s now-iconic glass-topped coffee table with an articulated wooden base. His washi paper and bamboo Akari light sculptures, handmade in Japan, debuted in 1951. In the late 1950s, Noguchi designed for Knoll, creating such pieces as his dynamic Cyclone table and rocking stool.
For collectors, Noguchi’s furniture and lighting designs remain his most accessible work — they have the same power and presence that Noguchi brought to his art.
Find vintage Isamu Noguchi floor lamps, table lamps, coffee tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.
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Creator: Isamu Noguchi
Measured Time Clock by Isamu Noguchi
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
The Hawkeye Measure Time Clock Timer, a masterpiece by Isamu Noguchi, stands as a testament to both form and function. In impeccable working order, this timekeeping gem has undergone...
Category
1930s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Isamu Noguchi Clocks
Materials
Metal
1932 Isamu Noguchi “Measured Time” Hawkeye Clock
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in New York, NY
Measured time clock and kitchen timer, 1932.
Two models of this clock were produced: a limited run of white Bakelite clocks was followed by a mor...
Category
Early 20th Century American Modern Isamu Noguchi Clocks
Materials
Bakelite
Mid-Century Isamu Noguchi Hawkeye Measured Time Clock and Timer
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
Noguchi's first mass-produced design, completed circa 1932, predating his design for the "Radio Nurse" baby monitor by about five years. Produced...
Category
1930s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Isamu Noguchi Clocks
Materials
Metal
Isamu Noguchi Hawkeye "Measured Time" Clock and Kitchen Timer
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in San Pedro Garza Garcia, Nuevo Leon
The “Measured Time” clocks have appeared previously on the market without attribution, identified only by the clockface “Hawkeye” label or the Stev...
Category
1930s American Art Nouveau Vintage Isamu Noguchi Clocks
Materials
Metal
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Nelson famously recounted the story of how the Ball Clock came to life in an interview decades after it’s release:
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Isamu Noguchi clocks for sale on 1stDibs.
Isamu Noguchi clocks are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of plastic and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Isamu Noguchi clocks, although black editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original clocks by Isamu Noguchi were created in the modern style in united states during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider clocks by Howard Miller, and George Nelson. Prices for Isamu Noguchi clocks can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $1,500 and can go as high as $20,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $3,800.