Metamec Model 5859 Wall Clock – 1960s Black Bakelite Chrome Finials Space Age Rare Made in England

A rare and visually striking Metamec wall clock from the 1960s — the model 5859, a piece rarely encountered and immediately recognisable for its bold, space age character. Four chrome spike finials radiate from the black bakelite body at the cardinal points, each one precision-machined and tipped with a small brass ball — a detail that speaks directly to the atomic age aesthetic that defined the most adventurous British domestic design of the era. The deep black bakelite body is clean, solid and strikingly dramatic against any wall.

The two-tone silver and white dial carries bold black Arabic numerals, fine dash minute markers and the Metamec name, with sharp black hands and a vivid red seconds hand reading cleanly against the pale ground. Originally mains-powered, this clock has been fitted with a new quartz battery movement and new hands, giving it a new lease of practical life while preserving its irreplaceable original character entirely.

Overall diameter finial to finial: 28cm (11 inches). Dial diameter: 18cm (7 inches). Depth: 6.5cm (2.5 inches). Ready to hang.

Metamec — The Pride of Dereham, Norfolk

Metamec was founded in Dereham, Norfolk in 1947 and grew to become the largest clock manufacturer in the United Kingdom, at their peak employing around 750 workers and producing 350 different clock models and 25,000 clocks every week. Their 1960s mains-electric range represented some of their most daring and ambitious design work — pieces conceived for a generation that believed the future was something to be celebrated rather than feared. The model 5859 is one of the rarest and most distinctive from this era of production.

The chrome spike finial design places this clock firmly in the space age tradition — that moment in the late 1950s and early 1960s when domestic design began to reflect the ambitions of the age. Four finials radiating from a circular black body is a composition with an almost heraldic boldness to it. Metamec went into receivership in 1984, and original examples of rare models like this in good condition grow harder to find with every passing year.

Specifications

Condition

Very good vintage condition. The black bakelite body is clean, solid and undamaged. The chrome bezel and finials retain their finish well. The dial is fresh and the hands crisp. Light age-related characteristics consistent with a genuine 1960s piece. A rare model in excellent presentable order.

One of the most distinctive Metamec models ever produced — bold, rare and entirely of its extraordinary moment.

Shipping

Free tracked delivery across the UK. We ship to the United States and internationally — please message us before ordering for an accurate quote. All import duties and taxes are covered upfront for US orders, with no surprise fees on delivery. Every clock is packed carefully to ensure it arrives safely.