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.
$2,196 / item
Carl Auböck 'Nun' Floor Lamp in Brass
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Glendale, CA
Carl Auböck 'Nun' floor lamp in brass. Designed in 1950, this versatile and Minimalist Viennese lamps is executed in brass with a cast brass base and sc...
Brass, Iron
Carl Auböck '4723' Patinated Brass Plug-In Wall Light With White Shade
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Glendale, CA
Carl Auböck '4723' Patinated Brass Plug-In Wall Light With White Shade. Designed in 1950, this versatile and minimalist Viennese lamp is executed in brass with a cast iron base and ...
Brass
$2,490 / item
Carl Auböck Vice Versa Floor Lamp
By Wiener Werkstätte, Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Glendale, CA
Carl Auböck vice versa floor lamp. These iconic and Minimalist Viennese floor lamps are executed in brass, wicker and cast aluminum designed by...
Iron, Brass
$2,458 / item
Carl Auböck X-Lamp Floor Lamp
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Glendale, CA
Carl Auböck X-lamp floor lamp. Designed in 1950, these versatile and Minimalist Viennese lamps are executed in bamboo and brass with a heavy X-shaped bra...
Brass
Werkstätte Carl Auböck 'Nun' Brass Table Lamp With Paper Shade
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Glendale, CA
Werkstätte Carl Auböck 'Nun' brass table lamp with paper shade. Designed in 1950, this versatile and Minimalist Viennese lamps is executed in brass wit...
Brass, Iron
Carl Auböck '4723' Polished Brass Plug-In Wall Light with White Shade
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Glendale, CA
Carl Aubock '4723' Polished Brass Plug-in Wall Light with White Shade. Designed in 1950, this versatile and minimalist Viennese lamp is executed in choice of polished or patinated b...
Brass
$2,162 / item
Carl Auböck Vice Versa Table Lamp
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Glendale, CA
Carl Auböck vice versa table lamp. Designed in 1950, these versatile and Minimalist Viennese lamps are executed in brass with reversible paper shade ...
Brass
Carl Auböck #3740-1 Floor Lamp, Patinated Brass, Mid-Century Modern
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck #3740-1 Floor Lamp "Butterfly" in patinated brass, manila and chintz. The base is available both in polished brass or patinated brass.
Brass
Important Carl Aubock Vice Versa Floor Lamp 1950's
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Chalk Hill, PA
Important vintage 1950's Carl Aubock Vice Versa Floor Lamp 1950's. From an important collection. Please inquire for additional inform...
Brass, Iron
$1,932 / item
Carl Auböck 'Horseshoe' Table Lamp
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Glendale, CA
Carl Auböck 'Horseshoe' table lamp. Designed in the 1950s, these versatile and Minimalist Viennese table lamps are executed in bamboo and brass wit...
Brass
$4,980 / set
Pair of Carl Auböck Vice Versa Floor Lamps
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Glendale, CA
Pair of Carl Auböck vice versa floor lamps. These iconic and Minimalist Viennese floor lamps are executed in brass, wicker and cast ...
Brass, Iron
Vice Versa Floor Lamp by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Brass, Mid-Century
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Vice versa lamp #4105-3 by Carl Auböck in brass.
Brass, Aluminum
ultra rare carl auböck floor- or table lamp " tischkugellampe"
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Munich, DE
very rare carl auböck floor or big table lamp.
Metal
Floor Light "X" #3715 Werkstätte Carl Auböck
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in London, GB
Description: Designed by Carl Auböck II, the versatile "X" lamp epitomises the influence of Modernist design principals infused into the workshop's practice during the 1950s, follow...
Brass
Large Carl Aubock Model #7253 'Electric' Patinated Brass Wall Lamp
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Glendale, CA
Large Carl Aubock Model #7253 'Electric' Patinated Brass Wall Lamp. Designed by Carl Auböck IV and hand fabricated in the original Auböck Werkstätte in the 7th district of Vienna e...
Brass
Pair of Carl Auböck #3741 Table Lamp "Horseshoe", Austria
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Pair of Carl Auböck #3741 table lamp "Horseshoe", Austria in brass, manila and chintz. The diameter applies to the shade. Available in a white or red shade.
Brass
Horn Table Lamp by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Brass & Chintz, Austria
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck #7255-1 horn table lamp, Austria made of horn, brass and chintz. Also available in a large version (D50 / H65 cm).
Brass
Mid-Century Modern Brass Table Lamp by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Austria
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck #4263 table lamp "Nun", Austria.
Brass
Carl Aubock II Rare Brass & Leather Table Desk Lamp #4280, Vienna, Austria
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful and rare sculptural minimalist mid century modern table or desk lamp, model no. 4280. Designed and manufactured by Carl Auböck II in 1949. This lamp is made of brass and ...
Brass
"Nonne" or "Nun" Floor Lamp by Carl Aubock, Vienna, Austria
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
Floor lamp with the name "Nonne" or "Nun" by Carl Auböck, a Viennese Original piece. Minimalist black lacquered Iron Base with a ivory colored, cylinder shaped, paper lamp shade...
Iron
$2,461 / item
Large Carl Auböck 'Vice Versa' Wall Lamp
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Glendale, CA
Large Carl Auböck 'Vice Versa' wall lamp. A newly designed variant exclusive to Two Enlighten based on the iconic Vice Versa table and floor lamp series des...
Brass
Mid-Century Modern Brass Vases by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Austria
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Pair of Carl Auböck #7247 vases on pedestal in polished brass and patinated brass. Also available in a smaller size.
Brass
Carl Auböck X-Lamp #3740, Midcentury Bamboo and Brass Floor Lamp, 1970s, Austria
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Biebergemund, Hessen
Simple and elegant midcentury floor lamp designed by Carl Auböck and manufactured by Werkstätten Carl Auböck in Vienna. The lamp is made of a bamboo stick with a solid brass X-base w...
Brass
Patinated Brass Wall Sconces by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Austria
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Pair of wall lamps by Carl Auböck, New. Socket: 2x E14. Please note: Lamp should be fitted professionally in accordance to local requirements.
Brass
Mid-Century Modern Vintage Authentic Carl Auboeck Floor Lamp Vienna 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
Mid-Century Modern original vintage floor lamp Reversible Vice Versa from cast iron designed by Carl Auboeck, Vienna, 1951-1952 and executed by Werkstätte...
Iron
Vice Versa Table Lamp by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Brass, Mid-Century
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Vice versa lamp #4105-2 by Carl Auböck in brass.
Brass
Floor Light "Scoop" #3715 / Werkstätte Carl Auböck
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in London, GB
Description: Floor light in rattan and base in brass patina designed and made by the Auböck Werkstätte in Vienna.The rattan stem can be adjusted on the patinated, heavy cast brass b...
Brass
Carl Auböck #3715 "Scoop" Floor Lamp in White or Red, Austria
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck #3715 "Scoop" Floor Lamp in patinated brass, manila and chintz. The diameter given applies to the shade, available in white or red.
Brass
$2,481 / item
Carl Auböck #4264 Floor Lamp "Nun", Austria
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck #4264 floor lamp "Nun", Austria.
Brass
$4,536Sale Price / set|20% Off
rare set of two carl auböck vice versa " umkehrlampe"
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Munich, DE
rare set of 2 carl auböck umkehr vice versa floor lamps. professional redone shades and new wire.
Metal, Iron
Mid-Century Modern Table Lamp by Carl Auböck, Austria, 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Table Lamp by Carl Auböck, Austria, 1950s
Metal