Door 2: Carl Auböck
Photography Courtesy of Werkstätte Carl AuböckDesign, especially midcentury, has been closely associated with the Scandinavian countries and one then tends to oversee the beauty in one's own homecountry, like the proverb "a prophet is not without honour, but in his own country". But Austria has a rich Design history, which does not need to hide at all. One of the more famous names related to this heritage is Carl Auböck, but it is not a single person that stands behind this name.
Photography Courtesy of Piasa Paris
The family was already working in the bronze and metal industry in 19th century, but the company Auböck Werkstätte was founded by Karl Heinrich Auböck in 1912 as a metal-workshop. It was mainly known for his Wiener Bronzen, small, bronze figurines, which were collectibles and highly popular in Austria in the 19th and at the beginning of the 20th century.
Carl Auböck II, Umkehrlampe, 1950
Carl Auböck, Amboss Besteck 2060, 1955
Carl Auböck III studied architecture at Vienna University of Technology and at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His stint in the United States of America highly influenced his approach to design, as he wanted to bring some of its coolness to Europe. He worked with his father and together they won four gold medals at the Triennale in Milan. This led to an international interest and also the company produced for Hermés and Pierre Cardin. Carl Auböck III also designed for other companies like Amboss or Tyrolia.