Carl Auböck IV

Born in 1954, Carl Auböck IV currently carries on the role of general manager of the Werkstätte. From 1973-1976 he attended the professional school for metalsmiths/girdlers, achieving his master's degree in 1993. His time learning metalworking techniques also overlapped with architectural studies from 1973-1981 at the Technical University Vienna.

From 1977-1993 Carl IV worked as an apprentice in the Werkstätte with his father, renowned designer and architect, Carl Auböck III. During his apprenticeship, Carl IV worked on various design projects with his father including but not limited to housing and manifold design. In 1991 he became a partner and remained so until his father's passing in 1993. In 1993 Carl Auböck IV founded his architectural practice and in 2004 upon his mother Justina's passing he became the managing director of the Werkstätte Carl Auböck working closely with his sister Maria. Since his time at the helm of the Werkstätte, Carl IV has worked extensively to preserve and promote the family's history by organizing the in-house Carl Auböck Archive (CAA). He has published two books, "die kataloge der werkstätte carl auböck 1925-1975", and "arbeiten der werkstätte carl auböck fotografiert von 1948-2005" and played an instrumental role in production of the book, "Carl Auböck: The Workshop", by Clemens Kois. Since 2004, Carl Auböck IV has collaborated with some of the most internationally renowned designers and firms including Michael Anastassiades, Aldo Bakker, Formafantasma, Philip Johnson Glass House, Lemaire, Bottega, Veneta, Diptyque, Berluti /Paris, Abask, Philippe Starck, Sagan, I’m OK/Tokyo, Birkenstock, Petar

Petrov, Dunhill, Lobmeyr, and more.

Carl Auböck IV on the Gallet Collection

Valy

Aunt ‚Tante‘ Valy was always a bright and colourful appearance, cheerful and positive , though

small by stature, a quicksilvery Marimekko lady -- as a kid i today think i maybe felt her being

just another kid, never an adult, her booming with friendliness and all..a rainbow.

In summer of 1970, my father Carl III was appointed honorary fellowship by the AIA in Detroit –

afterwards we both following up with the ICSID board (International Council of Societies of

Industrial Designers) attending the Design Conference in Aspen and then on our way back

stopped by Uniontown and the Gallets for the first time visited Fallingwater together with Edgar

Kaufmann jr.

My second visit to uniontown was in summer1975 with a friend - aunt Valerie lent us her old

mercedes and we toured the neighboring states for 2 weeks – Fallingwater again, under

guidance of my dear uncle Roger who lived then in a beautiful house on the way to Bear Run.

Of course we also visited the impressive Gallet Mills factory as well as looked in awe at Roger’s

private car collection there -

Busy

Was aunt Valerie’s second name, I believe. Always moving, things to do, still very well organized

and good humoured -

Very early in the 1930ties she explored the U.S.A. together with her husband louis, fleeing a more

and more hostile Europe.

it seems they started off in PA. first, working textile projects for a Quaker settlement - Carl I ,her

father, became member of this community of friends long before , in the 19th century when

touring the U.S. – I am sure he had created some connections there ready to share later on very

important for the Gallet Mills.

Valy’s mother Elise seems to have shared the Viennese workshops’ assets from the 1930ties on ,

Carl II designed car and bicycle mascots for the U.S. market, she visited Uniontown a few times,

also with her second daughter Lilly. Mother Elise also kept up connections with the U.S. part of

our family even when WWII had started, still trying to keep up the textile cooperations uniontown

/ Vienna, while all the while heading the doings of the workshop with her son Carl II as chief

designer and maker -

In the 1970ties she told us once that a technical misadjustment of one of the knitting machines

produced the ‘Brooks Brothers’ wool sweaters two sizes too large .. disaster…

She stated: ‚ ..I had to find an instant solution to meet the lead time we arranged for this

important customer ‘

- - so she alone was up all night and the following day boiling the sweaters

in order to shrink them down to exact size. The solution worked and the customer was satisfied.

First one in the knitting shop in the morning last to leave - always proactive concerning her family

and business , very modern and always grateful for all the chances her new home country

offered to her and her family .

I always remember Valy’s smile – the westernmost auböck smile , she was our U.S. outpost.

1997 the first auböck exhibition

Excited to arrange the first carl auböck exhibition in 1997 in vienna i was appointed with the

design of the upstage (380 original auböck pieces and 300 paintings) of the work of 2 carl

auböck (I +II) generations at the Historical Museum of the City of Vienna

Roger sent images of the gallet/uniontown collection, some of the rare pieces there we all had

never seen before, especially the large and heavy Bear and the Elephant sculptures designed

and made by my great-grandfather Carl I, the large greyhound and the penny farthing rider etc.,

very early works of my grandfather Carl II, still in the then fashionable Art Deco style

Most of the other ones we saw on Roger's photos had matches in our local Vienna archive as

from after the war our collection’s concept was more concentrated on affordable, smaller

pieces.

Upon their frequent visits Valy as well as Roger had purchased many pieces here in the

Werkstaette either to keep these in their homes or to give away as gifts for friends.

Opening night

Another ‚vernissage‘ evening in Vienna it was, just an opening night the Sept 24th 1997- but not

for Roger Gallet, our uncle – he was one of the most important lenders of rare and ancient

auböck pieces, he travelled far to be present at the opening, still, he was very much concerned

and subdued as he knew that his dear mother’s life might not last until the next morning -

We all here, his family, tried to keep his spirits up, all was very successful and the exhibition was

well received . still, the next day he received the sad news that his mother valy had passed .

The coincidence that Valy’s father Carl I and brother Carl II had their first public show 1997 in

one of Vienna’s most important museums and that their daughter as well as sister valy has died

the same night tells me a lot about familial bonds.

Time

Has changed a lot since then, in the course of preparation of again a large exhibition here in

Vienna at the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) in May 2024 we initially were informed that objects

have to be chosen and lent exclusively from collectors only located here in austria - reason is

the too high shipping and insurance costs (..) - - around 400 objects will be shown - -

as we know the Auböck design production was always meant to be sold all over the world,

especially to the U.S. starting from the mid 1920ties on - the chance to show much more rare

and singular pieces in the future might be impeded by this policy – still , we are looking forward

to this venue as it will bring new interpretations of also very rare and never shown before pieces

.. ‚ Auböck seen through Todays’ eyes ‘

Carl Auböck IV Vienna , March1st, 2024