Insights into Viennese craftsmanship with Carl Auböck IV
The Carl Auböck workshop in Vienna is a place where tradition and craftsmanship have been kept alive for 100 years. During a visit to this renowned factory, we gained fascinating insights into the production of artistic brass objects.
Join us on a journey through this unique family business of Carl Auböck
The warm welcome by Zola Auböck in the inner courtyard of the building in Vienna's 7th district was a perfect start. Afterwards we went to the traditional Carl Auböck workshop. The patination of the brass objects takes place in the very first room. During this process, the brass surfaces are dipped in a bath, which blackens the surface. The composition of this patina liquid is an old recipe and a closely guarded family secret, Zola Auböck tells us.
In the next workshop, an employee was busy polishing brass parts for bookends to a high gloss.
In the next room, Carl Auböck IV welcomed us. He told us that they were currently working on a special order for special bookends. Here, too, solid brass cast blanks are ground and filed. Each piece is elaborately and meticulously worked until the desired surface and aesthetics are achieved.
A look into the past and present of the Wiener Werkstätte
The workshop today looks exactly as it did in the days of Carl Auböck II (1900-1957) and his son Carl Auböck III (1924-1993). The wooden floor, the workbenches, the traditional machines and special tools seem to have stood the test of time.
In the traditional factory, now run by the architect Carl Auböck IV and his daughter Zola Auböck in the 5th generation, Auböck objects are still manufactured today based on old drawings and molds. Everyday objects such as:
in a unique design. This continues to produce artfully handcrafted collector's items that are sought after as cult objects around the world.
The secret of success of Carl Auböck’s objects: material authenticity and technical precision
Then as now, the authenticity of the material is an essential principle. Great importance is attached to ensuring that the external form and the material-appropriate, technically precise execution are in harmony. This harmony and the unique design are decisive criteria for the international importance and success of the Carl Auböck workshop.
International recognition and collector's items
Carl Auböck's works gained international recognition after the Second World War. From 1946 onwards, his works were presented in solo exhibitions and international exhibitions. These exhibitions contributed significantly to consolidating the great reputation of the Carl Auböck workshop worldwide.
Parallel exhibitions: "ICONIC-AUBÖCK" at the MAK/Vienna and "AUBÖCK GALLET-COLLECTION" in the USA
At the same time as the major Auböck exhibition "ICONIC-AUBÖCK" at the MAK (Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna) from May 15, 2024 to January 6, 2025, another exhibition will take place in the USA. The "Auböck Gallet Collection" also presents rare and important vintage works of art. These parallel exhibitions underline the ongoing importance and fascination of Carl Auböck's work and demonstrate the international significance of his works.
Cross-generational Austrian design
Our visit to the Carl Auböck workshop was an inspiring journey into the world of traditional craftsmanship. The passion with which they work is reflected in every object. The Auböck family not only preserves a valuable heritage, but also sets standards in the modern arts and crafts scene.
Yours, Gabriele Bittermann
www.design-foyer.com
