Produced in 1948, the Ball Clock’s playful colors speak to the nation’s optimism and the scientific potential of the era. But the shape—reminiscent of an atom—also carries the shadow of atomic warfare, which haunted the national psyche during the Atomic Age. Photo 1 of 5 in George Nelson’s Ball Clock May Not Be His After All by Alex Ronan

George Nelson’s Ball Clock May Not Be His After All

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Produced in 1948, the Ball Clock’s playful colors speak to the nation’s optimism and the scientific potential of the era. But the shape—reminiscent of an atom—also carries the shadow of atomic warfare, which haunted the national psyche during the Atomic Age.