Nellco
A name you can trust

What started off as a tiny oven manufacturer has since grown into a multiornament conglomerate thanks to one Keepsake artist entrepreneurial spirit. And since that first oven was produced, Nello Williams has been creating an array of timeless Keepsake Ornaments, each of them sporting his new own Nellco brand.

“It started with a magic ornament I had an idea for,” Nello tells us. “It was an oven that lit up to reveal cookies baking inside. There was even an air freshener pod installed on the back of it to give off a fresh-baked aroma.”

Like all Keepsake artists, Nello has an eye for the unique details. “That first ornament was just calling out to have a brand on it,” he says. Unsure of what to do, he talked to a fellow sculptor to get their opinion. They suggested the name Nellco. Nello loved it and it’s been a part of his lineup ever since.

Christmas Cookies

While Nellco humbly he claims that he only creates a Nellco-branded ornament “every year or so.” We all know the truth about the empire that of retro style ornaments he’s managed to create. Over the years, the Nellco brand has expanded at a steady rate. That refrigerator hanging on your tree? Chances are, it’s a Nellco. That jukebox all your other ornaments are lining up to play? That’s a Nellco. Popcorn machines, kitchen mixers, washers, dryers…the list goes on and on. Or as Nello puts it, “There are too many for me to be able to name them all.”

Nellco-branded Ornaments

Not one to take all the glory for himself, Nello reminds us that he’s managed to expand the Nellco line to include pieces that are collaborations with the entire Keepsake Studio.

If you’re a brand-loyalist, the only way to know if you have an official Nellco is to look for the iconic logo. “The logo for that first ornament was created by one of our tech artists and simply printed on,” he says. “I’ve since tweaked it over the years–including a 3D version that I’ve been using for quite a while, though I’ve created variations of it for a couple of things that weren’t done in my unusual styling. One was a steampunk photograph, and the other was a laptop ornament that needed to look contemporary.

The Nellco founder, while moving full-speed ahead on his going production line, is always willing to promote and support other up-and-coming brands in the Keepsake Village. He reminded us that Sharon Visker did the phonograph with the Viskaphone brand. And that Orville Wilson’s Wilsonic brand is also a solid household name. However, it’s his “bitter rivalry” with Tom Best that caught this writer’s attention.

“For the sake of historical accuracy,” Nellco states emphatically, “I did it first. I don’t care the Tom says or that he claims Tomco to be the superior product.”

While this may sound like a Keepsake Village divided, If you know much about these two titans of industry, you’ll know they have a great relationship. We suspect Nello’s jab at Tomco is nothing more than a friendly ribbing between two great artists.

“Nellco.” For Keeps 21 Spring 2022: 2-3