20th Century Carl Auböck Nutwood Humidor
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
Carl Auböck Humidor, Austria 1950s
20th Century European Werkstätte Carl Auböck Decorative Objects
Nutwood
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.
20th Century Carl Auböck Nutwood Humidor
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
Carl Auböck Humidor, Austria 1950s
Nutwood
$440 / item
Carl Auböck Model #4982 Hook in Nickel
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Glendale, 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
Mid Century Modern Carl Auböck Basket made of Copper and Wicker, Austria 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in München, BY
Rare Mid Century Modern Carl Auböck basket made of copper and wickerwork, Austria 1950s. The basket is in an age-appropriate used condition. Inside, there are signs of use. The wick...
Copper
$420 / item
Carl Auböck Model #4327 Nickel-Plated Hook
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Glendale, CA
Carl Auböck Model #4327 Nickel-Plated Hook Designed in the 1950s, this versatile and minimalist Viennese hook is executed in nickel-plated brass by Werkst...
Brass, Nickel
$1,880 / set
Set of Four Carl Auböck Brass Objects
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Glendale, CA
Set of four Carl Auböck brass objects. Includes Carl Auböck model #4072/G 'Rooster' brass bell, model #3600 'Crown' brass bowl, model #3514 brass bowl and model #4224 'Hand' brass ...
Brass
$412Sale Price|65% Off
Carl Aubock Glass Boot, Brass Spur Art Deco Glass Caraffe, Vase, 1950s, Austria
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Carl Aubock glass boot, brass spur Art Deco glass caraffe, vase, 1950s, Austria. Glass vase or pitcher. Listing is for single boot. Glass marked Austri...
Brass
Mid-Century Modern Large Wooden Bowl by Werkstätte Carl Auböck
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Hamburg, DE
Large Wooden Bowl by Carl Auböck, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1950 to 1959 This piece has an attribution mark. Additional information: Materials: Wood Style: Mid-Century Moder...
Wood
Slim Vase by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Patinated Brass, Austria, 2022
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck #3974 "Slim" vase, Austria, 2022.
Brass
Collar Vase by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Polished Brass, Austria, 2022
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck #3975 "Collar" vase, Austria, 2022.
Brass
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
Glove Vase by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Patinated Brass, Austria, 2022
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck #3788 "Glove" vase, Austria, 2022.
Brass
Body Vase by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Patinated Brass, Austria, 2022
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck #3791 "Body" vase, Austria, 2022.
Brass
Carl Auböck #7234 Candlestick, Brass, Patinated Finish, Austria, 2022
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck #7234 candlestick, Austria, 2022.
Brass
Rare Mid-Century Modern Leather Waste Bin by Carl Auböck III
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
This exceptional leather wastepaper bin is a quintessential example of the "tactile modernism" that defined the Werkstätte Auböck in Vienna during the mid-20th century. Designed by C...
Leather
Authentic Mid-Century Carl Auböck Leather Wastepaper Basket/Bin
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
This original mid-century wastepaper basket was designed by Carl Auböck III for the renowned Werkstätte Auböck in Vienna, circa 1960. A quintessential example of Austrian modernist d...
Leather
Authentic Vintage Carl Auböck III "Zumbusch" Hand Paperweight
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A rare and iconic mid-century modern sculptural object designed by the renowned Austrian modernist Carl Auböck III (1924-1993) for the Werkstätte Carl Auböck in Vienna. Designed circ...
Brass
Carl Aubock Vase Decanter "Tuberkulinkolben" Raffia Wicker Top, Austria, 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful minimal modernist vase or decanter „Tuberkulinkolben", model no. 4748, designed and executed by Carl Aubock II in the 1950s. Made of handblown clear glass with nice wicke...
Glass
Carl Auböck II Raffia Brass Wastepaper Basket, Paper Bin, Umbrella Stand, 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful and minimalistic vintage Mid-Century Modern wastepaper basket / paper bin on a tripod brass base from the 1950s. Model 3890, designed by Carl Auböck II and manufactured b...
Metal, Brass
Brass Fruitbowl by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Austria, 1960s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Sculptural fruit basket by Werkstätten Carl Auböck made of curved brass rods held between two hammered brass end pieces. The open wire construction forms an elegant, boat-shaped si...
Brass
Rare Microscope "Neopan" by Carl Aubock 1963, Reichert Vienna
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A very rare award-winning microscope, model Neopan, designed in 1963 by the Viennese architect and designer Carl Aubock. Executed by Reichert Austria. In good condition, fully workin...
Metal
Box made of Wood, Brass and Cork by Werkstätte Carl Auböck Austria, 1960s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Small box by Werkstätten Carl Auböck with curved wooden lid and brass body, lined with cork inside. The design combines a warm wood surface with brushed brass sides, creating the ch...
Brass
Pair of Polished Horn Bowls by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Austria 1960s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Set of two shallow oval bowls hand-carved from natural horn, one in light translucent tones and the other in darker brown-black coloration. The organic form follows the natural cur...
Horn
Leather Penrest by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Austria, 1960s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Small desk tray made of stitched natural leather, slightly curved to form a shallow resting surface for pens, pencils, or small desk items. The hand-sewn edges and thick saddle leat...
Leather
Carl Auböck Midcentury Scoop Bowl or Ashtray with Handle, Brass, Austria, 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful modernist bowl or ashtray featuring a curved handle, shaped like a scoop. Made of polished solid brass. Designed and crafted by Werkstätte Carl Auböck in the 1950s, this ...
Brass
Carl Auböck Chrome Box with Leather Lid, 1930s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A refined early piece from the Carl Auböck workshop, dating to the 1930s. This chrome-plated box features clean, modernist lines contrasted by a hand-stitched leather lid — a hallmar...
Chrome
Carl Auböck Midcentury Tuning Fork Handmade Key Ring Chain Holder
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A charming modernist tuning fork keyring / key holder / keychain, designed by Carl Auböck in the 1950s. Handmade of solid polished brass by Werkstätte Auböck in Austria. Length inc...
Brass
Carl Aubock Mid-Century Horn Desk Pen & Pencil Holder Cup, Austria, 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A decorative handmade desk pen and pencil cup holder from the 1950s. Designed and manufactured by Werkstätte Carl Aubock, workshop in Vienna / Austri...
Horn
Carl Auböck Brass Hand Letter Opener Letter Knife #7208
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A minimalist but charming letter opener in the shape of a hand. Model number 7208, handmade of solid polished brass, designed by Werkstätte Carl Auböck in the 1950s. Fully stamped an...
Brass
Brass Desk Paperweight in original wooden Box, byWerkstätte Carl Auböck
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Brass desk paperweight by Werkstätten Carl Auböck, preserved in its original wooden presentation box printed “la plume de ma tante.” The object is formed as a long, faceted shaft w...
Brass
Mid-Century Modern Carl Auböck Austria Brass Letter or Initial "C" Paperweight
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in St. Louis, MO
This beautiful hard to come by, Mid-Century Modern brass initial or letter "C" paperweight (Model 4820), created by the master Austrian designer Carl Auböck and made of solid brass (...
Brass
Mid Century Modern Horn Pen Stand by Carl Auböck Austria
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Bad Säckingen, DE
This mid-century modern piece by Carl Auböck exemplifies the distinctive artistry of Austrian design. Crafted from natural horn, it serves as a stylish pen stand, adding a touch of o...
Horn
Carl Aubock II Rare Brass Corkscrew Cup Model 3710 Austria 1940s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Troy, MI
Carl Auböck II model 3710 Austria c. 1949 Turned wood cup with elongated oval brass handle that removes to a reveal a functioning corkscrew Original patina Signed both to the bottom...
Brass
Vintage Carl Auböck Brass Pipe Modernist Paperweight #5188, Austria, 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
An Austrian brass paperweight, displaying a pipe, designed an executed in the 1950s by Carl Aubock, Vienna. Model #5188. A very decorative item, in very good condition. Marked.
Brass
Pair of Mid-Century Horn and Brass Bookends, Vintage Originals
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A rare and highly collectible pair of original 1960s sculptural bookends, exemplifying the sophisticated Mid-Century Modern aesthetic of the Vienna school. This set features two hand...
Brass
Midcentury Carl Auböck Brown Tan Leather Note Dispenser Holder, Austria, 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful Mid-Century Modern note holder from the 1950s, designed an executed by Carl Auböck, Vienna. Made of cognac brown leather. In good condition, including the original paper....
Leather
Rare giant Bauhaus nutcracker by Carl Aubock Austria
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
Excellent authentic nutcracker by Carl Aubock. Made about 1950. Signed and in excellent condition.
Brass
Carl Auböck Handcrafted Razor Blade Brass Paperweight #5378, Austria
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A handmade paperweight in the shape of a razorblade, model 5378, originally designed by Carl Aubock in the 1950s. A very charming piece, reissued by Werkstätte Auböck in Vienna / Aus...
Brass
Carl Auböck Paperweight #5370-1, Brass & Walnut, Austria
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck paperweight #5370-1 "Walnut", Austria.
Brass
Carl Aubock II Vase Decanter with Brown Leather Top, Midcentury, Austria, 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful minimalist Mid-Century Modern vase or decanter, "Tuberkulinkolben" designed and executed by Carl Auböck II in the 1950s. This piece is made of handblown clear glass and f...
Leather, Glass
$1,244Sale Price|20% Off
Midcentury Glass Vase from Carl Auböck, 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, Austria
A hand blown glass vase from Carl Auböck, made in the 1950s, From Vienna, Austria.
Glass
Carl Auböck #3632 Watering Can in Polished Brass and Cane
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Glendale, CA
Carl Auböck #3632 watering can in polished brass and cane. Designed in the 1940s, this incredibly clean and refined Viennese watering can is executed in hand-woven cane, polished o...
Brass
Carl Auböck Handcrafted Midcentury Hand Brass Figurine Key Ring Chain Holder
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A charming modernist hand keyring / key holder / keychain, designed by Carl Auböck in the 1950s. Handmade of solid polished brass by Werkstätte Auböck in Austria. Fully stamped and m...
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
Carl Aubock Vintage Zebra Dinner Bell #3604, Paperweight, Vienna, 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A captivating, partly patinated mid-century table or dinner bell from the 1950s. Model #3604 „Zebra", designed and handcrafted by Werkstätte Carl Aubock in Vienna, Austria, this piec...
Metal, Brass
Turned Wooden Bowl by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Austria 1960s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Hand-turned wooden bowl with a thick rounded rim and softly carved interior. The form is simple and sculptural, emphasizing the natural grain of the wood, which shows warm color vari...
Wood
Carl Aubock Mid Century Horn Desk Pen & Pencil Tray & Holder, Austria, 1960s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A decorative and rare desk penholder from the 1960s, designed and executed by Carl Aubock, Vienna. Made of horn, in very good condition.
Horn
Carl Auböck II Brass Tray, Bowl, Vide-Poche, Maria Theresia Coin, Austria, 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful solid brass coin tray or dish, designed and executed by Werkstätte Carl Auböck II in the 1950s. Suitable as a jewelry bowl or „vide-poche“. In good condition with nice pa...
Brass
Signed Carl Auböck Midcentury Brass Foot Paperweight Handmade Sculpture
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A charming modernist paperweight in the shape of a foot, designed by Carl Auböck in the 1950s. Handmade of solid polished brass by Werkstätte Auböck in Austria. Fully stamped and m...
Brass
Carl Auböck Aorta Vase, Polished Brass, Austria
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful organic flower vase, model #3974, designed by Carl Aubock II in 1950. Executed by Werkstätte Auböck in Vienna / Austria. Handmade of bras...
Brass
Carl Aubock Mid-Century Horn Desk Pen & Pencil Holder Cup, Austria, 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A decorative handmade desk pen and pencil cup holder from the 1950s. Designed and manufactured by Werkstätte Carl Aubock, workshop in Vienna / Austri...
Horn
Auböck bussines card holder around 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Wien, AT
Auböck bussines card holder around 1950s Original condition
Brass
Signed Carl Auböck Midcentury Brass Foot Paperweight Handmade Sculpture
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A charming modernist paperweight in the shape of a foot, designed by Carl Auböck in the 1950s. Handmade of solid polished brass by Werkstätte Auböck in Austria. Fully stamped and m...
Brass
Carl Aubock „C“ Walnut Clothes Coat Brush, Signed, Midcentury, Austria, 1960s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful modernist clothes or coat brush in the shape of the letter C from the 1960s. Designed and executed by Carl Aubock III, Vienna/Austria. Handmade of walnut and natural hors...
Walnut
Carl Aubock II Vase Decanter with Black Leather Top, Midcentury, Austria, 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful minimalist MId Century Modern vase or decanter „Tuberkulinkolben", designed and executed by Carl Aubock II in the 1950s. Made of handblown clear glass with a nice hand-se...
Leather, Glass
Carl Auböck Handcrafted Paperweight Jingle Bell #5039, Brass, Leather, Austria
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A handmade paperweight in the shape of a sleigh bell, model #5039, originally designed by Carl Aubock III back in the 1960s. A very charming piece, reissued by Werkstätte Auböck...
Brass
Carl Aubock Modernist Walnut Leather Candlestick Candle Holder, Austria, 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A rare midcentury candleholder from the 1950s by Carl Auböck. It is completely handmade and has a cylindrical top, made of walnut with a brass interior on leather covered stem and a ...
Metal, Brass, Iron
Austrian Midcentury Walnut and Brass Fish Shaped Money Box by Carl Auböck
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
This Charming and rare fish shaped money box was designed and manufactured by the Austrian architect and designer Carl Auböck. It features a walnut body with brass details and is mar...
Brass
Carl Aubock Midcentury Black Cast Iron Bowl or Ashtray, Austria, 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful modernist metal bowl or ashtray, made of grey or black cast iron from the 1950s. Designed and manufactured by Carl Aubock in Austria. ...
Iron
Carl Aubock Mid-Century Brass and Leather Nutcracker, Vienna, Austria, 1950s
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful Modernist brass nutcracker designed and executed by Werkstätte Carl Aubock in the 1950s. In good condition with charming patina. Marked.
Brass
Moustache grooming Set in original Wooden Box by Werkstätte Carl Auböck
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Vintage moustache grooming set in original wooden box labeled “Brosse à Moustache.” Includes a small horn comb and matching brush with natural bristles and horn handle. Light wear co...
Horn, Wood