Werkstätte Carl Auböck: Enduring Viennese Design
The Werkstätte Carl Auböck in Vienna is one of the most significant names in Austrian design. Since 1912, handcrafted design objects made from materials such as brass, leather, horn, and cane have been created in Vienna’s 7th district. These objects combine Viennese craftsmanship, modern design language, and the quiet sophistication that makes Carl Auböck unique to this day.
Objects with Character
There are objects that you own. And there are objects that, over time, become a part of your life. The works of Werkstätte Carl Auböck clearly belong to the second category. They are not loud design statements but quiet and sophisticated companions: paperweights, bookends, bowls, ashtrays, corkscrews, vases, lamps, keychains, and sculptures that impress with their material, form, and attitude.
To this day, objects are designed, crafted, polished, and finished in the workshop – in a place where Viennese design history remains alive.
Craftsmanship, Modernity, and Subtle Humor
What makes Auböck so special is the ability to transform everyday objects into unique design pieces – through craftsmanship, Viennese modernity, and subtle humor. Many designs appear simple, almost self-evident, at first glance. Only on closer inspection does one recognize their sophistication: a handle that fits perfectly in the hand; a precisely balanced proportion; a material change between brass, leather, horn, or cane that gives an object character without overwhelming it.
Over generations, the Auböck family has refined this distinctive design language. From the tradition of Viennese bronzes, a design world emerged that is functional, elegant, and often surprisingly playful. Carl Auböck II brought significant modernist impulses to the workshop, Carl Auböck III continued this approach with great design quality, and today the family business is run by the fourth generation. This continuity is precisely what makes the workshop so valuable: it is not a nostalgic回顾, but a cherished Viennese design tradition that continues to this day.
Patina Instead of Quick Effects
The objects from the workshop live with their owners. Brass develops a patina, leather softens. This is precisely their charm: an Auböck object gains character over time. It becomes more personal, not older.
Today, the art objects are still meticulously handcrafted. This gives them a special cultural and artisanal quality in an era of industrial interchangeability. The MAK in Vienna – Museum of Applied Arts – honored the works of Werkstätte Carl Auböck in 2024/25 with the impressive exhibition "ICONIC AUBÖCK," thereby demonstrating Auböck's significance for Austrian design culture.
Selected Auböck Objects at DESIGN FOYER
Alongside Augarten Porcelain, Werkstätte Carl Auböck is one of the defining names in DESIGN FOYER's product range. The online shop stands for exceptional quality, clear origin, and an independent design language. It's not about arbitrary home accessories but about pieces with history, character, and artisanal substance. In this curated environment, DESIGN FOYER features Auböck objects as examples of Austrian design and craftsmanship that endure far beyond the present moment.
Auböck embodies precisely the attitude that characterizes good design: clear form, honest material, artisanal quality, and a certain lightness. These are objects that don't loudly declare why they are special. You feel it as soon as you use them.
Precisely for this reason, Auböck objects also make special gifts. When you give a piece from Werkstätte Carl Auböck, you are not giving an arbitrary accessory, but an object with history, character, and lasting value – a gesture of appreciation that extends far beyond the moment.
A piece by Carl Auböck is not merely a home accessory. It is a piece of Viennese design history – made for everyday life, collected for a lifetime.
Selected objects from Werkstätte Carl Auböck can be found in the DESIGN FOYER online shop: www.design-foyer.com
