Carl Auböck brush with comb
Located in Wien, AT
Carl Auböck brush with comb; good original condition, Austria mid-20th century.
Vintage 1950s Desk Sets
Horn
Carl Auböck brush with comb
Located in Wien, AT
Carl Auböck brush with comb; good original condition, Austria mid-20th century.
Horn
Carl Auböck Brush Pen Holder
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in London, GB
A wonderful little pen holder by Carl Auböck. Handmade in Vienna in the 1950s. A beautiful delicate sculptural piece.
Walnut
Horn Brush by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Mid-Century Modern, 1960s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck brush made of horn and horse hair, Austria 1960s.
Horn
Brush by Carl Aubock
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An elegant brush hand carved from cow Horn with naturally occurring variations in color and pattern.
Horn
Brush by Carl Aubock
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An elegant brush hand carved from cow horn with naturally occurring variations in color and pattern.
Horn
Brush by Carl Aubock
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An elegant brush hand carved from cow horn with naturally occurring variations in color and pattern.
Horn
Carl Aubock Table Brush 1950 Austria
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
Carl Aubock table brush, mid-20th century. Crafted from warm walnut and fitted with genuine boar-bristle hair, this piece exemplifies the workshop’s distinctive blend of natural mate...
Nutwood
Carl Auböck The Most Elegant Brush
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in London, GB
Large brush made in solid Walnut , natural bristles and original cognac leather strap.
Leather, Walnut
$552Sale Price|20% Off
Carl Aubock Midcentury Walnut & Leather Clothes Brush, Austria, 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
This chic clothes brush is a must-have accessory for any Carl Auböck wall-mounted coat rack.
Leather, Walnut
Set of Two Carl Auböck Midcentury Coat Brushes Designed
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
They were produced in the renowned Austrian workshops of Bauhaus-influenced designer Carl Auböck. The polished bases of the two brushes display the beautiful texture and colour marbl...
Horn, Goat Hair
Carl Auböck Dust Brush, Wood, Mid-Century Modern, Austria, 1960s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck Dust Brush, Austria 1960s.
Wood
Carl Auböck Letter Brush, Horn and Horsehair, Mid-Century Austria
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck Letter brush made of horn and horsehair, Austria 1960s.
Horn
Carl Aubock Walnut & Leather Hand Mirror & Clothes Brush, Austria, 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful Mid-Century hand mirror and clothes brush combination from the 1950s. Designed and executed in the 1950s by Carl Aubock Vienna.
Leather, Mirror, Wood, Walnut
$720Sale Price|40% Off
Large Carl Aubock Midcentury Walnut Ring Clothes Brush, Austria, 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful large ring-shaped modernist wall-hung coat rack clothes brush from the 1950s. Designed and manufactured by Carl Aubock, Vienna, in the 1950s.
Goat Hair, Wood, Walnut
Rare Mid-Century Modern "G" Clothes Brush by Carl Auböck III
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
Designed by Carl Auböck III and handcrafted in the renowned Werkstätte Auböck in Vienna, this piece seamlessly blends sculptural form with everyday utility.
Walnut
H-Shaped Wooden Hand Brush by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, 1960s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
H-shaped hand brush made from a single piece of light-toned wood with rounded edges and two finger cut-outs for grip. Dense black bristles are set into the front (and likely the reve...
Wood
$470 / item
Carl Auböck Model #4086 Nickel Hook
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Carl Auböck Model #4086 Nickel Hook Designed in the 1950s, this versatile and Minimalist Viennese hook is executed in brushed nickel by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Austria.
Nickel
$880Sale Price|20% Off
Carl Aubock „C“ Walnut Clothes Coat Brush, Signed, Midcentury, Austria, 1960s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
Designed and executed by Carl Aubock III, Vienna/Austria. Handmade of walnut and natural horse hair bristles.
Walnut
$440 / item
Carl Auböck Model #4982 Hook in Nickel
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Carl Auböck model #4982 hook in nickel. Designed in the 1950s, this versatile and minimalist Viennese hook is executed in softly brushed nickel by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Austria.
Nickel
$370 / item
Carl Auböck Model #4330 Hook in Nickel
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Carl Auböck Model #4330 Hook in Nickel Designed in the 1950s, this versatile and Minimalist Viennese hook is executed in softly brushed nickel by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Austria.
Nickel
$420 / item
Carl Auböck Model #5261 Hook in Nickel
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Carl Auböck model #5261 hook in nickel. Designed in the 1950s, this versatile and Minimalist Viennese hook is executed in softly brushed nickel by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Austria.
Nickel
$510 / item
Carl Auböck Model #5439 Hook in Nickel
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Carl Auböck Model #5439 Hook in Nickel Designed in the 1950s, this versatile and Minimalist Viennese hook is executed in softly brushed nickel by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Austria.
Nickel
$420 / item
Carl Auböck Model #9040 Knob in Nickel
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Carl Auböck Model #9040 Knob in Nickel Designed in the 1950s, this versatile and Minimalist Viennese knob is executed in softly brushed nickel by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Austria.
Nickel
$510 / item
Carl Auböck Model #4965 Hook in Nickel
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Carl Auböck Model #4965 Hook in Nickel Designed in the 1950s, this versatile and Minimalist Viennese hook is executed in softly brushed nickel by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Austria.
Nickel
$430 / item
Carl Auböck Model #4995 Wall Hook in Nickel
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Carl Auböck Model #4995 Wall Hook in Nickel Designed in the 1950s, this versatile and Minimalist Viennese hook is executed in softly brushed nickel by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Austria.
Nickel
$535 / item
Carl Auböck Model #8040-1 Knob in Nickel
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Carl Auböck Model #8040-1 Knob in Nickel. Designed in the 1950s, this versatile and Minimalist Viennese knob is executed in brushed nickel by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Austria.
Nickel
$625 / item
Carl Auböck Model #8040-2 Knob in Nickel
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Carl Auböck model #8040-2 knob in nickel. Designed in the 1950s, this versatile and Minimalist Viennese knob is executed in brushed nickel by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Austria.
Nickel
Carl Auböck #3544 Pen or Brush Rest in Brass and Brown Leather, Austria, 2022
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck #3544 pen or brush rest in brass and brown leather, Austria 2022.
Brass
Brush by Carl Aubock
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An elegant brush hand-carved from cow horn with naturally occurring variations in color and pattern.
Bone
Brush by Carl Aubock
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An elegant brush hand-carved from cow horn with naturally occurring variations in color and pattern.
Bone
Brush by Carl Aubock
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An elegant brush hand-carved from cow horn with naturally occurring variations in color and pattern.
Bone
$777 / item
Carl Auböck Letters Brush, Austria, 1950
Located in Wien, AT
Carl Auböck letters brush "A" and "K" Austria mid-20th century, good condition.
Other
$219Sale Price|20% Off
Rare Shaving Brush Horn and Badger Hair Attributed to Werkstatte Aubock
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
Organic water buffalo horn and badger hair shaving brush attributed to Carl Aubock. With original leather ribbon to hang it.
Horn, Leather
$2,940Sale Price|40% Off
Carl Auböck 2060 Flatware, 42 pcs., Complete For 6 Persons, Amboss Austria, 1950
By Amboss Austria, Neuzeughammer, Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A comprehensive set of midcentury flatware from the 1950s, the award-winning model 2060, designed by Carl Aubock and executed by Amboss Neuzeug Austria.
Stainless Steel
$200Sale Price|20% Off
1960s Valet Clothes Brush Noris Imports West Germany
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1960s Valet Duster Equestrian Brush MCM Noris West Germany 1.63 h x 10.25 w x 12.75 long maker stamped Noris Imports West Germany Genuine Hide Original vintage condition Refer to im...
Metal
Carl Auböck III, 1960s, Alphabetical 'L' Shaped Walnut Clothes Brush
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in London, GB
L-shaped coat brush designed and made by Carl Auböck III, Vienna, circa 1960.
Walnut
Carl Auböck Brush with Comb
Located in Vienna, AT
Carl Auböck brush with comb; good original condition, Austria mid-20th century.
Wood
Carl Auböck Brush Set, Austria, 1950
Located in Vienna, AT
Carl Auböck brush Set Austria mid-20th century, good condition.
Horn
Clothes Brush, Carl Aubock 1960
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
This clothes brush was designed by Carl Aubock and made by Aubock workshops in 1976.
Walnut
Crumb Brush and Tray by Carl Auböck
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
Wooden Crumb Brush and Tray / Table Brush No. 4764 Designed 1953 by Carl Auböck Literature: Clemens Kois; Carl Auböck -The Workshop, powerHouse Books, Brooklyn, New York, 2012, page...
Nutwood
Original Mid-Century Carl Aubock Walnut Brush and Dustbin
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, Vienna
A 1950 Carl Aubock wood brush and dustpan. Made of carved walnut and horse hair.
Walnut
Unavailable
H 2.37 in W 2.17 in D 1.38 in
Carl Aubock „E“ Horn Clothes Coat Brush, Midcentury, Austria, 1960s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
Cloth brush, designed by Carl Auböck III (1924-1993) around 1960.
Horn
Carl Auböck Letters Brush, Austria, 1950
Located in Vienna, AT
Carl Auböck letters brush "A" and "K" Austria mid-20th century, good condition.
Horn
Carl Auböck Heart Clothes Brush
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in London, GB
Heart shaped clothes brush by Carl Aubock , - to be used with love.
Walnut
Clothes Brush by Carl Aubock
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An impeccable clothing or shoe brush of teardrop form having an expressive figured horn handle and its original leather strap.
Horn, Leather
Carl Aubock Two Head Clothes Brush
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in London, GB
Double sided clothes brush, one softer than the other for a perfect finish. Walnut frame , leather handle and natural brushes.
Leather, Walnut
Carl Auböck III, 1960s, Alphabetical 'M' Shaped Walnut Clothes Brush
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in London, GB
A clothes brush in the shape of the letter M designed and made by Carl Auböck III in Vienna, Austria.
Walnut
Carl Auböck Magazine Stand, Model 3808
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in London, GB
Magazine holder designed and made in the Auböck Werkstatte, Vienna, circa 1960. Numbered as design 3808 of the Viennese workshop, it features a sinuous frame in brushed brass cover...
Brass
Serving Utensils by Carl Aubock
By Amboss Austria, Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A pair of spare and sublime serving utensils by Carl Aubock in matte brushed steel with an undulating flattened form.
Steel
Austrian Modernist Walnut Clothing or Table Brush by Carl Auböck
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
Amazing modernist wall-hung clothes brush from the 1950s. Designed and executed by Carl Auböck, Vienna, in the 1950s.
Walnut
Huge Carl Aubock Cloth Brush Vienna, 1950‘s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
Fine early and rare cloth brush by Carl Auböck, Vienna, Austria around 1950.
Nutwood
1960s Austrian Cow Horn Brush by Carl Aubock
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An elegant brush hand carved from cow horn with naturally occurring variations in color and pattern.
Horn
Letter P Walnut Clothes Brush by Carl Aubock, Austria, 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful P-shaped modernist clothes brush, designed and executed by Carl Aubock, Vienna, in the 1950s.
Carl Aubock Mid-Century Walnut Ring Clothes Brush, Austria, 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful ring-shaped modernist wall-hung clothes brush from the 1950s. Designed and executed by Carl Aubock, Vienna, in the 1950s.
Walnut
Vintage Carl Auböck Brass Paperweight Letter S 'Model 4820'
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
This beautiful, heavy paperweight (Model 4820), created by the Austrian designer Carl Auböck and made of solid brass, is an original piece that brings a bright and vibrant color to y...
Brass
Brush and Shoehorn, Carl Aubock 1960
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
This brush and the associated shoehorn were designed by Carl Aubock and made by the Aubock workshop.
Horn
Coat Brush "E" by Carl Aubock
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
E-shaped coat brush, unused, designed by Carl Aubock (1900-1957), Literature: Die Kataloge der Werkstaette Carl Auboeck 1925 - 1975, p.
Horn
Pen Holder in Horn by Werkstätte Carl Auböck Austria 1960s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Pen holder made from polished natural horn, slightly tapering towards the base and retaining the organic curvature of the original material. The translucent surface shows characteris...
Horn
Carl Auböck Model #7259 'Spiral' Brass Pen Holder
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Carl Auböck Model #7259 'Spiral' Brass Pen Holder Designed in the 1950s, this incredibly refined and sculptural pen or pencil holder is executed in patinated brass with polished edg...
Brass
Carl Auböck #7211 Letter Opener "Turned", Austria 2022
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck #7211 letter opener "Turned", Austria 2022.
Brass
$159Sale Price|20% Off
H 9.5 in W 1.75 in D 1.75 in
Chinese Calligraphy Brush with Goat Hair and Bone, Contemporary Design
Located in Somis, CA
Very unique, one of a kind Chinese calligraphy brush with the fine goat hair, decorated with a beautiful natural goat tail bone. Goat hair is prized for its fine quality, essential f...
Bone, Goat Hair
Carl Auböck #6086-1 Paperweight or Paperknife, Austria 2022
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Brass paperknife by Carl Auböck.
Brass
Coaster holder, Carl Auböck, Austria 1950
Located in Wien, AT
Coaster holder, Carl Auböck, Austria 1950, made of brass, coasters made of jute
Brass
$657 / item
H 1.19 in W 11.03 in D 1.97 in
Carl Auböck #4317 Fountain Pen Rest, Patinated Brass, Austria, 2022
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck #4317 Fountainpen Rest, Austria, 2022.
Brass
Original Midcentury Carl Auböck Comb Made from Horn
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
For sale is a beautiful half-moon shaped comb. The item was hand-crafted from horn and designed by the renowned workshops of Carl Auböck in Austria. It's a remarkable example of the ...
Horn
$283Sale Price|63% Off
H 3.15 in W 4.81 in D 1.58 in
Austrian Midcentury Horn Matchbox Holder by Carl Auböck
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
Minimalistic and pure shaped desk accessories, iconic for its Designer Carl Auböck and in excellent condition.
Horn
Patinated Wooden Handle Paint Brush
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A vintage paint brush - patinated and full of life and stories... a wonderful decorative piece for any room - organic and textured. The wood is thick and substantial - with a band of...
Wood
Antique Shaving Brush Turned Wood Handle Horsehair or Badger Hair
Located in Chula Vista, CA
For your consideration, a vintage or antique shaving brush, likely featuring a turned wood handle and natural bristles, such as horsehair or badger hair. Historically used to cr...
Goat Hair, Wood
Harald Nielsen for Georg Jensen Pyramid. Rare Art Deco miniature brush.
Located in København, Copenhagen
Harald Nielsen for Georg Jensen Pyramid. Rare Art Deco miniature brush in sterling silver. Marked with 1915-1930 mark. In excellent condition. Dimensions: L 6.7 cm.
Sterling Silver
$476Sale Price|20% Off
H 1 in W 5.5 in D 5 in
Danish Rosewood Table Crumb Brush Dust Pan Tray Bold Graphic Midcentury Design
By Laurids Lonborg
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Laurids Lonborg bold, graphical design. Rare wood constructed brush, with a textured plastic molded pan.
Rosewood
Broom and showel set vienna around 1920s
Located in Wien, Au
Broom and showel set vienna around 1920s Polished and stove enameled Showel: H: 3cm W: 15,5cm D: 17.5cm Broom: H: 10cm W: 10cm D: 3,5cm
Brass
$360 / set
H 1.19 in W 7.88 in D 5.91 in
Kay Bojesen, Sweeping Tray Set Consisting of Sweep Tray and Brush of Wood
Located in København, Copenhagen
Kay Bojesen. Sweeping tray set consisting of sweep tray and brush of wood. Danish design, mid-20 century. Measures: Length 20 cm, width 15 cm. In very good condition.
Pipe holder by Hagenauer vienna around 1950s ( marked )
By Werkstätte Hagenauer Wien, Karl Hagenauer
Located in Wien, Au
Pipe holder by Hagenauer vienna around 1950s Marked on Bottom
Brass
Contemporary Book Shelf Stand
By Pedro Useche
Located in Boston, MA
Solid wood with natural finish and metallic shelves. Silver and black.
Wood
Art Deco Bronze Floral Motif Architectural Panel
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Art Deco bronze floral motif architectural panel, each one of rectangular form with pierced floral still life.
Bronze
$2,470Sale Price|28% Off
H 71.26 in W 47.25 in D 9.06 in
Giò Ponti in the Manner Italian Midcentury Coat Racks 50's
By Gio Ponti
Located in bari, IT
Walnut wood structure coat rack with brass table anchored to the structure, embellished with brass circles creating harmony in the wooden panel. Crystal hood with brass anchors. 1950...
Brass
Fluted Bowl in Bronze Designed by Axel Salto
By Axel Salto
Located in Courbevoie, FR
Bronze bowl with fluted patterns Axel Salto. Produced in 40 years.
Bronze
1950s Swedish Velvet Samspel Sofa by Carl Malmsten
By Carl Malmsten
Located in London, England
Carl Malmsten 'Samspel' Sofa, circa 1950s First designed in 1956 and produced by AB Record in Bollnas, Sweden, the 'Samspel' sofa is one of the finest pieces to be drawn by Sweden...
Wool, Cotton, Beech
$3,104Sale Price / item|22% Off
H 78.74 in W 13.77 in D 11.81 in
Contemporary Book Shelf Stand in Brazilian Hardwood by Leo Strauss
Located in Atibaia, BR
The book shelf column is a piece of unique construction and design. Its geometric shapes, straight angles and simple lines, significant characteristics of the modernist movement in B...
Brass
Georg Jensen Sterling Silver Art Deco Salt Cellar and Spoon
By Georg Jensen
Located in San Mateo, CA
Sterling silver salt cellar and spoon model 110 by Georg Jensen. This is hand hammered. The handle folds around to the bottom and ends with two ball feet. The end of the spoon has a ...
Sterling Silver
$1,086
H 3.15 in W 4.93 in D 3.35 in
Vienna secession jewelry box atr. Dagobert Peche for Wiener Werkstätte
By Wiener Werkstätte, Dagobert Peche
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Vienna secession jewelry box atr. Dagobert Peche for Wiener Werkstätte in excellent original condition.
Brass
Superb French 1780s era Walnut Upholstered Louis XV Settee Canape
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Enhance your living space with this Superb French 1780s era Walnut Upholstered Louis XV Settee Canape, a stunning antique piece that embodies timeless elegance and craftsmanship. Dat...
Walnut
$1,773
H 3.35 in Dm 8.27 in
italian Sommerso glass bowl by Luigi Onesto 1960 signed Murano glass mid century
By Luigi Onesto
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
Introducing a stunning work of art handcrafted by the legendary artist Luigi Onesto, using the intricate and highly coveted Sommerso technique! This breathtaking Murano glass bowl fe...
Blown Glass, Cut Glass, Sommerso
Ward Bennett silver plate bowl
By Ward Bennett
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful bowl designed by the well known Ward Bennett .
Silver Plate
Glass bowl by Josef Hospodka for Sommerso, mid-20th century
By Murano Glass Sommerso
Located in Autonomous City Buenos Aires, CABA
Glass bowl by Josef Hospodka for Sommerso, mid-20th century This mid-20th-century glass bowl, attributed to Josef Hospodka for Sommerso, features a domed, elliptical shape with a sof...
Art Glass
Hand-Crafted Italian Murano Glass Ashtray by Bonimi, 1970s
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
Italian Murano thick glass ashtray by Bonimi.
Murano Glass
Joaquim Tenreiro Two Seats Bench, Brasil, 1958
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Barcelona, ES
Joaquim Tenreiro Two seats bench Manufactured by Tenreiro Moveis e Decoraçaos Brasil, 1958 Jacaranda wood, cane From the archives of Side Gallery, Barcelona Measurements 1...
Cane, Jacaranda
$795
H 14 in W 17 in D 3 in
Yellow 1970s Organizer Wall-All III Uten.Silo Dorothee Maurer-Becker Pop Art Era
By Dorothee Maurer-Becker, Ingo Maurer
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Beautiful primary yellow, heavily loved and patinated, a seventies pop-art survivor, a true relic from the original owners home. Riddled with pen ink in the inside the bottoms of the...
Plastic
Early 20th century Korean Garment Brush
Located in Chiba, JP
Old Korean garment brush used for hemp textile as scarce exposed type without covered grip, early 20th century, approx. L 24cm (9.44in), in used condition as is.
Other
In Vienna’s Neubau district, a beautiful Biedermeier townhouse has been home to the Werkstätte Carl Auböck for more than 100 years. Inside the workshop, where production continues to this day, countless objects line the shelves, walls, tabletops and desktops.
The Viennese artist and designer Carl Auböck II was one of the quirkiest and most delightful and collectible of modern designers. A rather odd duck in the world of decorative arts, he was a peculiar talent whose specialties included smaller desk accessories and tabletop pieces such as corkscrews, paperweights, letter openers, bookends and bottle stoppers. He rendered these pieces in a combination of metal — most often brass — and such elemental materials as leather, knobby wood and animal horn, creating forms that could be almost Surrealist, from hands and feet to keys, birds and amoebae.
As a boy, Auböck was precocious and artistic. He studied drawing and at the same time trained in the workshop of his father, Karl Heinrich Auböck, a popular maker of traditional bronze figurines and collectibles. In 1919, Carl II went to Germany to study at the Bauhaus, where he was a pupil of the progressive artist and theorist Johannes Itten. While the Bauhaus is most associated with the rigidly ordered, functionalist architecture of its directors Walter Gropius and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the school was in reality a liberal, spirited place — a crucible for imaginative, playful and avant-garde art and design. It was this spirit that imbued Carl II’s work from the time he left in 1921.
In 1922 or ’23, Carl Auböck II returned to Vienna to help care for his ailing father, and he took over the business. He created the Werkstätte Carl Auböck and a legacy that earned his objects cult status among collectors. The business was passed on to his descendants, who run the atelier that is still in operation today. Today, objects designed by Carl II make up 90 percent of Werkstätte Carl Auböck’s production, joined by the creations of architect and designer Carl IV, his grandson.
Vintage Auböck designs have a special character, a patina that only emphasizes how much the pieces have been loved and used. Carl Aubock II’s small furniture items — leather- or caned-sling magazine racks; free-edge wooden side tables with tubular bronze legs; wicker serving trolleys with turned beechwood wheels — are elegant and purposeful. His bijoux desktop objects, library tools, ashtrays and barware pieces evince a kind of mirthful practicality. They seem to ask: “If you need a corkscrew, or a paperweight, or a candlestick, why not make it fun as well as functional?” And indeed, why not?
Find a collection of vintage Werkstätte Carl Auböck mirrors, seating, tables, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.